


Familiar

by nikogda



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Cat Louis, Dreams, Flashbacks, Harry and OMC is a blink and miss it thing, Harry and Ofc is in the past, Hybrid Louis, Kissing fun times, Literally a cat not a hybrid, M/M, Magic, Supernatural Elements, Telepathy, Witch Curses, Witch Harry, Witch Niall, Witches, anti telepathy louis..., catnip, herbs, spells, telepathic louis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-01-25 16:50:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 52,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12536536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nikogda/pseuds/nikogda
Summary: Louis stood still motionless as he felt her cold breath flow into his mouth and make it’s way down his throat and into his lungs following a sharp sensation that began to twist in the middle of his chest. He fell to the ground as his arms and legs began to burn, a burning feeling that started from the middle of his hands and feet, quickly coursing through him. He doubled over, no voice still and brought his limbs into him, curling up into the fetal position. The pain twisting and he gasped out nothing still but air falling from his lips.He heard a sinister laugh and looked up, tears forming in his eyes. She looked down as she stood over him, her head tilted to the side.“Cat got your tongue?” She smirked and stepped over him and walked away, her voice echoing off the walls of the alleyway as she laughs, an evil tone behind it.Or: Louis was just a normal guy walking home one night when he encountered a woman with evil intentions, using her powers to turn him into a cat. A man with long curly hair and bright green eyes saves Louis and takes him home. Little does Louis know that Harry might be the key to getting him out of this cat body and back to his normal self.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> _Italic - Dreams_  
>  **bolded xx - Flashbacks**  
>  Thanks SO MUCH to [Jacky](https://dimpled-halo.tumblr.com) for helping me and going over this and fixing all my 938293872 errors!! 
> 
>  
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> The OFC is in the past. and OMC is a blink miss it a moment. I will add tags as needed.  
> This story is finished and just going through beta processes!  
> I do not know what this is or the reasons I wrote it. All I know is I have written it and I owe the biggest ever thanks to [Dimpled-Halo](https://dimpled-halo.tumblr.com)

The door was pulled open with such a force that the metal door knocker clanked against the door, “Louis would you chill out? I made one bloody joke and you lose your cool! It was a joke! I know you hardly ever - if at all use your telepathy on anyone anymore!” You could hear the laughing voice out in the hall, trying to be serious.

However, Louis was not having any of it, “Joke my arse. Anyway, I have to go I have more important things to do like this thing called being an adult. And every day at a certain time this little electrical device makes a loud obnoxious  _ EEE-EEE-E-- _ ”

“Think you mean you make a loud obnoxious-” the laughing voice interrupted and Louis ignored him, closing the door on him as he leaves.

He loves Liam, he really does. Sometimes he can be far too much and sometimes too much is an understatement when he thinks he is funny. Once he got going it’s hard to stop him.

Louis jogs down the stairs, bypassing the lift and heads out the double doors of the large multi-story building. It’s a bit on the warm side for this time of night but Louis likes it because it means he can walk home and doing such a thing is supposed to be good right? His phone vibrates in his pocket and he grabs it, unlocking it and opens the text message. Rolling his eyes as he tosses a quick text to Liam, accepting his apology.

That is another thing about Liam, he really can not let it all go if Louis even appears to actually be bothered by something he may have done. Sometimes, Liam cares far too much for his own good. Louis cares too, which is why he honestly was not bothered at all by anything Liam had said. He knows Liam was just being a shit. Harmlessly trying to poke at him, just how Louis does to Liam sometimes. He knows when Liam talks about Louis' ability in a joking manner he is truly just joking. He was amused and in all honesty, he was ready to go home, have a shower and pass out. He has to go to work in the morning and has afternoon classes.

Louis reaches into his pocket to find his lighter and a pack of smokes as he rounds the corner. He pulls both out coming to a stop and turning his back to the slight breeze so that he can light a cigarette. He puts his pack of cigarettes and lighter back in his pockets and walks with his head up towards the dark sky as he lets the smoke fall from his lips. Louis glances around him, seeing people as they pass by him, unaware of him and living their own lives while he continues on himself.

People heading where they need to be. Some hand in hand, some on their phones or texting. A few carrying shopping bags or other random items. It's one of those fleeting moments where Louis contemplates having a peek inside someones mind, see what their thoughts are. However he sticks to just watching, avoiding using his ability. He feels using it isn't right, and what people have inside their minds is very private. He rarely uses his telepathy ever, if at all anymore. So much that for the most part he forgets he can do it.

He always enjoyed people watching and sometimes while he is on a lunch break he goes and buys a sandwich with a drink, goes to sit in his car just to watch people as they come and go. He’s seen what he believes to be the signs of hearts breaking, hearts growing. Louis thinks he has seen hate and anger. Care and forgiveness. A parking lot can show so many things if you just look for it.

Every day people come and go in Louis’ life, a large portion of them are people he does not know and never will know. People who come in for a moment and leave. Who hold a door and continue on in their lives. Everyone passes everyone by never knowing the other people that they all exist with for even a few moments of their lives. Some of those people go home to loved ones, to no one, to hateful ones.

Some of them are hurt ones and broken ones. Some have never felt what a real broken heart feels like. And some of them leave only to just disappear never to be seen again. Some by choice, and others not by choice. Louis may contemplate that last part more often than he should. He thinks too much sometimes about how life is so temporary and how things can change for better or worse in an instant.

He flicks his cigarette to the ground before stepping on it, twisting his foot some as he turns and crosses what is now an empty street so he can go down the alley. His normal shortcut home. Louis puts his head down, watching his feet. He always does it because it helps to ignore the noises and if he is honest, helps him to be less paranoid in the alley. 

It’s dark, it’s late and he always hears weird noises. He’d rather just get through the small area and cross the waiting street and into his building, into his flat and into his bed. Except for tonight that won’t happen, at least not how Louis had planned.

Louis slams into someone and stops abruptly, looking up as he backs away, apologies falling from his mouth as fear begins to course heavily through him and he puts his hands out, apologising once more, body in defensive mode immediately. The person is shrouded in dark and Louis can just spot a hand raising with a pointed finger at him, Louis looked back behind himself and continues to walk backwards.

“Stop moving boy. You should know better than to be walking around alone at this hour.” The voice was female with a hint of a snarl in her tone as she spoke to him. He could likely push past her but her stance and her voice put, even more fear into him. Louis moves to get his phone from his pocket.

“Don’t even try it. I’ve been watching  _ you _ , seeing you live your life blissfully unaware of others around you.”

Louis snorted, because  _ honestly _ ? Louis lived for others. That was part of his work, that was what helped him to decide on his major. The idea of helping others and being able to do it for a living? Sign him the fuck up. He shook his head as he went to speak only to find nothing fell from his lips. He tried again and put his hands to his mouth. No sound escaped, he grabbed his throat, grabbed his mouth and panic sunk in heavily.

He had no voice, he could not speak. Louis moved to run but found he couldn’t. When he opened his mouth to try and speak nothing came out, nothing but a small almost inaudible whistle. Louis goes to run away, only he finds himself stuck in place and unable to move. Almost like someone has glued his feet to the ground. Slowly the panic begins to rise up Louis' throat. His heartbeat picked up, beating harder and faster as he realised he was frozen in place, a hand by his mouth and a hand on his throat, eyes wide with shock on his face.

The woman snickered quietly as she stepped closer, her eyes were different with one blue and one white, obviously blinded in the one eye and Louis looked her over. From what he could see in the dark under the moon above them and the flickering streetlight behind him, she was young, with long light coloured hair. Her lips looked plush and her nails long. A hint of deep red like the colour of blood, which his own had long run cold.

She smiled as she leaned forward, her lips near his. He could smell her breath, feel it against his skin. It smelled like lemon and raspberries, like the rest of her. The scent made his stomach nauseous.

“Greed is an  _ evil _ thing, my child. Though everyone is plagued with it, I can only hope to fix a few. A few I cannot and a few I get bored with. I am bored today and I have nothing else to do.” She tilted her head, an innocent look on her face as she smiled softly.

“Long ago, I met a boy. He had hair of golden brown and eyes like the forest. He made me feel like I could float to the moon. My heart swelled with love for him. Do you know what happened? He broke my heart. Took it and smashed it to pieces. Unfortunately everything I did, and believe me, Love. I tried _ everything _ . He just would not love me. Nothing worked on this boy. I tried, and I tried and eventually I gave up. Only for it to come to my attention later that the reason all my hard work, my blood, sweat, and tears…  _ literally.  _ They all went to waste because he had a soul mate.” She sighed, frowning as her demeanor dropped some.

She recovered quickly, pulling her shoulders back and holding herself up as if she was being praised, “Not even the deepest spells can come between a soul that has a mate. I found it kind of sweet. However, it seems that his other half has just been so frustratingly blind. You push and you push for them to wake the bloody hell up only for them to just pass by.” She huffed out a breath of air and smiled at Louis, looking him up and down.

Louis stood in place, watching her, holding his breath. He wanted to run, run as fast as he could but he couldn’t. He couldn’t even move. He felt like he wasn’t even breathing as she brushed her lips across his with a dirty smirk playing on those red lips.

She pulled back smiling widely, “See. Not all familiars are cute little pesky felines, my love. This golden boy’s familiar is blind and so very oblivious to his mate, they pass each other and they pass each other and do you know? Do you know how hard it is to push and push and yet these  _ idiots _ just ignore each other? I can not let this happen. So, my dear. I am sorry but what’s done is done and that is just the way it has to be.” She kissed his lips and blew into his mouth slowly.

Louis stood still motionless as he felt her cold breath flow into his mouth and make it’s way down his throat and into his lungs following a sharp sensation that began to twist in the middle of his chest. He fell to the ground as his arms and legs began to burn, a burning feeling that started from the middle of his hands and feet, quickly coursing through him. He doubled over, no voice still and brought his limbs into him, curling up into the fetal position. The pain twisting and he gasped out nothing still but air falling from his lips.

He heard a sinister laugh and looked up, tears forming in his eyes. She looked down as she stood over him, her head tilted to the side.

“ _ Cat got your tongue _ ?” She smirked and stepped over him and walked away, her voice echoing off the walls of the alley way as she laughs, an evil tone behind it.

Louis could hear the click of her heels as she left the alleyway and his body continued to feel like it was burning from the inside out. He closed his eyes hoping he’d pass out or die, or whatever was happening to end. He felt a tightness around his body, squeezing him, he rolled onto his stomach to push himself up, to try and get up and run for help.

Only nothing happened. He couldn’t get off the ground. Louis stretched his arm out and it felt off. The pain was subsiding but he felt different. Very different. He looked at his arm and fell back on his butt, looking down he blinked as he tried to rub his hands over his face only to fail. He stood uneasily, looking back behind him and his eyes landed on the long white fur. His eyes followed the length of the fur as the hair grew shorter and noticed it connected to something. 

Louis cocked his head to the side and reached back for the lengthy fur, he noticed a paw instead of a hand. He pulled the paw to his face and looked down, noticing another paw. Louis looked back behind him on the opposite side and saw the length of a white feline. Louis went to speak, a meow escaping his mouth. 

He swallowed hard. How could this be? This had to be some kind of a dream. He looked back again and the tail flicked back and forth. He touched it, feeling it in his paws and feeling the movement of it. It was not a dream. Louis was a cat. Louis was a white cat and the world suddenly would not stop turning. His head felt light as he fell over, passing out. Thunder in the distance rumbled around him as the night grew darker and the streets became quieter, as he laid unconscious.

Louis woke up, feeling something sharp pushing against him. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times as his vision cleared and he could see that it was a child with a stick poking him.

“It’s alive!” One of the children yelled, he heard footsteps coming towards him. The sharp stab hit him again and he groaned. Only the noise that came out was more like a low mew.

“Stop!” He yelled, and again the noise. 

It was not his voice and this time it was a hiss. He tried again, louder and the hiss was louder. He forced himself to get up as he did, he hissed more. He was white with long fur. He was a cat, it was coming back to him now and he hissed again, letting a low growl come behind it and forced himself to move. He was unsteady on his four fur-covered legs as he slowly backed up, falling over. The child moved towards him and he got back up to try again. 

Slowly Louis began to walk backwards before he turned and just took off running away from the children. He ran across a busy street, and stopped, frantically looking around. People were running, walking all around him and he was panicking. He knew he was small, he knew he could get hurt. Before Louis could react though, two hands firmly gripped his sides and he was being lifted off the ground. He tried to fight the hands that held him but he was quickly wrapped in a jumper with only his tiny head peeking out. 

A slow deep voice whispered a small hush against his ear and he closed his eyes, feeling his heart pounding deep inside his chest. He was slowly soothed by the voice and he let himself relax. He wasn’t sure why, or what was compelling him to trust this stranger. He just did. He was being cradled in the jumper as the human walked quickly down the busy street. Louis kept his eyes closed as they went. He was not sure where he was going or why, he just did not have it in him to fight it right now. 

Before he could even put much more thought into it, he opened his eyes when a finger scratched lightly underneath his chin and he saw a row of homes that were all historic and different colours. The one he was being carried to was yellow with arched windows and a black door. The trim was white and peeling. There was a black rusted rod iron fence all the way around the front, with an arched gate that was opened. It had character and Louis inspected all the detailings as they walked up to the door. 

A car pulling up and honking behind them made him jump, the familiar sounding slow voice soothed him once again as the front door opened. Louis was sat down gently on the old wooden floors and he sniffed the air instinctively. He spotted a long mirror propped against a wall by the television and went over to it in a hurry, he needed to see himself.

Louis looked at the reflection in the mirror, seeing what was looking back at him. Seeing that it was him, looking back at himself and he was shocked. He did not know what he was expecting, he’d already realised he was a feline. However, to actually look in the mirror, to actually see himself was on a whole other level of acceptance that he was having trouble comprehending right now.

Louis’ feline form was a long body with slim legs, long tail, long coat, large ears and wide eyes. He was a dainty cat, with a slim chest and the white fur on him was a gorgeous long silky coat that was longer along his tail. He was not Persian length but he did have long hair. His left ear had flecks of black on them. He twitched the ear and watched as it moved in the mirror and he let his eyes continue to roam up and down the reflection of the cat in the mirror.

The rest of him was white and his eyes were almost an icy blue. He had to admit he was beautiful as he turned in the mirror, looking himself over. 

“Are you, hungry little guy? Are you a guy? Maybe I should check.” The male moved to reach down and Louis hissed at him.  _ No no you should  _ not _ check at all _ , he jumped up onto an oversized chair, mentally pleased with himself at doing so.

Louis watched with uncertainty as Harry smiled at him, “My name is Harry, I will figure out a name for you soon.” 

Louis stares at him, wondering what kind of human would introduce themselves to a cat.

Louis sat down, tail tucked behind his front paws and watched as Harry disappeared through a door. Louis jumped down and trotted around the living area, cool wooden floors meeting his paws. He looked around and everything looked old. He could see a few cobwebs in the corners, dust on a few shelves. Though things were otherwise clean and it felt homey and smelled like many different types of flowers. He suddenly was being lifted off his four tiny paws and into the air and was startled. He looked at who had grabbed him and was met with green eyes and a bright smile.

‘‘I really can not get over how darling you are.'' The voice spoke softly and Louis relaxed once more, he could stay here, he was good.

Louis begin to purr before abruptly stopping because, no. No he was not going to do that. That was not happening. He looked up with his icy blue eyes and watched as a dimpled smile appeared back at him. He wiggled trying to get down, feeling too comfortable where he was, Harry let go and Louis dropped down, deciding instead to rub against Harry’s leg. He could never get away with rubbing himself against a cute boy as a human. He felt a light scratch trail down his back towards the edge of his tail and he rubbed his ear along Harry’s calf. Suddenly a tug on his tail and he jerked forward.

“You’re a boy,” Harry spoke with a chuckle as Louis walked away because--  _ rude _ much?

Louis got up on the large over sized chair and laid down with his paws tucked under him as he surveyed the room, not really listening to anything else. Harry walked over to Louis on the chair and kneeled down in front of him.

''You need a name, blue eyes. But I have no idea what to call you. So for now, you can just go by Kitty. When I think of a name, I will name you.'' Harry smiled as he ran his hand over the white fur and Louis closed his eyes. 

Maybe this would not be so bad, for now at least. He had a nice place to stay while he figured out what exactly was going on.

Louis watched as Harry slowly got up and headed out of the room. He heard water and cabinet doors and hopped down out of curiosity and trotted through the living room and walked into a large kitchen with an island in the middle. He wandered around it and stopped by Harry's feet as he sat a dish down with a bit of food in it. Next to it was a bowl of water and Louis sniffed the food.

He jumped back and blanched at it. He was  _ not _ going to eat that. What in hell's bells was that even suppose to be? He heard Harry laugh and he took his paw and stuck it in the food, sending some off the dish and into the floor. He looked at the water and hesitated before slowly dipping his tongue into it. It was almost like an instinct on how to drink it and he began to lap at it. He took a few drinks before he walked away from the dishes, leaving Harry as he cleaned up.

Louis wandered down a hall and looked in the first room with an open door, it was a restroom with a small night light on. No windows could be seen and it had a tub and some towels on the floor with a few items of clothing. Louis took a moment to realise he was actually seeing into a dark room and was able to see decently at that.

He turned, glancing back, not spotting Harry, so Louis continued his trek through the home. Popping into any open door he could find. Eventually, he was at the end of the hall and the door was closed. All other doors had been open, or Louis had been able to push them open. This one though, as he looked up, noticed that it was locked. It had a lock across it above the handle, he sat down and looked at it. Who would have a need to double lock a door? Did the door handle not work to lock so Harry had to add a lock? What was the reason he needed to lock it?

He heard Harry's footsteps coming up behind him and he looked up when they stopped, seeing him look down at him. Harry smiled and leant down and scratched the top of his head before he headed through the door on their left. Louis watched him as he went in, waiting a moment before he followed behind him.

The room was large with a huge four poster bed in the middle. The walls painted a dark gunmetal grey. A desk was in the corner with a chair beside it and a small lamp sat on top of the desk, a few books stacked beside the lamp. Louis hopped up onto the bed and sat down in the middle. A thick black silk blanket was beneath his tiny cat paws and he laid down, instinctively rolling and feeling the silk against his fur.

He stopped abruptly when he heard a noise, he was on his back, all four paws out in the air and his head was tilted back. The blanket slightly blocked his vision as he opened his eyes and saw a shirtless Harry laughing at him. He quickly rolled over and acted like that didn’t happen. He watched Harry as he grabbed some clothes before disappearing out the bedroom door, the sound of a shower turning on a few moments later. 

Louis glanced around, alone once again before he stretched out. He was stressed and worried. He was also very, very comfortable right now. He decided whatever worries he had could wait,  and had to wait as he wanted to sleep. He blinked a few times, watching as Harry came back into the room with a small pile of clothes in his arms and tossed them into a hamper. He watched as Harry moved about before leaving the room once more. Slowly, sleep drifted over his feline form and overtook him.


	2. 2

**xx**

_ Harry’s body slammed into the wall behind him with such a force, it caused a couple of the photographs on the wall to shake before two fell to the floor below and cracking the glass that the black and white pictures were pushed against in their black frames. He inhaled a sharp breath as hands ran up under his shirt as he moved to undo the few buttons left, a low moan escaping his lips as another pair of lips press into his neck with teeth sinking into his skin.  _

_ Quickly, Harry pulled his shirt off and let it fall to the floor. His eyes rolled back in his head as he felt blunt nails digging sharply into his chest, scratching down to his abdomen and he gasped, reaching his hands out for something, anything his hands could touch. The teeth pushing into his skin stung, and the pain sent arousal zipping through him as he twisted his hands in the shirt of the person biting down on his sweat dampened skin. _

_ Harry pulled their body roughly against his own, opening his eyes with a loud moan falling from his lips as a knee ran between his legs and pushed against his hard length. He felt the leg begin to move against him, shivers running up his spine as the mouth on his neck began to suck against the bitten skin. _

_ The other person, a male, pulled back to pull his own shirt off and Harry ran his eyes across his torso that was lit up by the street light outside. He scanned over the tattoos and up to their face. A sharp jaw that hadn’t been shaved in a week or so. Eyes peering into him almost as if they could see into his mind and soul. He felt like he knew this person, but just enough of their face was obscured in the darkness that Harry could not fully place them. Harry drew his eyes to the male’s once more, he wanted to lock eyes with this person and never stop, wanted to let him look deep inside him and read every secret he held buried inside his heart and mind. _

_ A strong emotional urge to kiss the man in front of him, wrap his arms around them and force his way into him and his life. To exist inside him hit Harry hard and he bit his bottom lip, reaching out to run his fingers over the nude chest in front of him and kept his eyes locked with the ones looking back at him. _

_ Harry felt like the earth was spinning beneath his feet, the sound of music pulsating around him and hitting him in the core of his chest. Yet he could not hear the music clearly. The man in front of him opened his mouth to speak but only silence fell out. He keeps on talking and Harry is left with silence and music. _

_ Harry frowns, pulling the man closer and runs his fingers over his jaw, feeling the coarse facial hair against his hands and he loves the way it scratches against his skin. Harry sighs, he can’t hear the voice that is speaking from the man in front of him and the music is getting louder, louder and louder. He puts his hands to his ears to cover the music and frowns, the noise is so loud it hurts his ears, his head. He can feel it pulsating and it makes him dizzy. _

**xx**

“Harry! Harry wake up” Niall yells out over the loud music, shaking Harry who had passed out on the sofa a couple hours ago.

Harry finally begins to stir and frowns at the loud noise of the music and the bright flashing lights. He covers his eyes and reaches for Niall with his other hand. Niall pulls him to his feet and wraps an arm around his waist. He tells him they are leaving but Harry can barely hear him. He nods anyway and lets Niall help him out of the house he was in. The air outside is slightly cool and the breeze hits him and he takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly and Niall hesitantly lets go of him.

“Fuck.” Harry groans and leans against a wall for a moment as Niall checks his phone.

“Right? You fucking passed out, what happened to you?” Harry shrugs in response because he really does not know.

One moment he was having shots, maybe one too many. And he was with a girl he knew and the next thing he knew was that Niall was waking him up from a nice dream. Except it wasn’t all that nice? Well, it was but it ended not so nice with the loud music and all. Harry’s stomach churned and he groaned.

They begin walking down the street and Harry pulls his phone out and looks at the time and groans, “Three in the morning? Fuck. I’m going to have to call off work. I’m supposed to be there in an hour.” He pockets his phone as they round a corner and Niall laughs. When they had decided to go to the house party a few blocks from his place, he had not intended to be out too late. Except they left an hour before it was about to be midnight and he was immediately given shots.

“I bet Kitty is pissed off.” He mumbled under his breath as they turned onto his street.

“You still haven’t given that furball a name?” Niall questioned as he put his hands in his pockets.

“No. Like… he literally fucking hisses at every name I try to call him.” Harry yawned out as they walked.

Niall laughs as they walk towards Harry’s front door, “What have you tried?”

“So many. I have a page up on my laptop with names and he just is not having it. Oh, get this, I put a box down in the bathroom between the toilet and sink counter and he never uses it. Ever!” He speaks as he unlocks his front door and heads in, flipping on the living area light and fan. He wanders over to the oversized chair and flops down, sighing as he toes his shoes off.

"Where does he go?” Niall followed Harry into his house and kicks his shoes off at the door. Harry just shrugs.

“I’ve been leaving the sliding door open with a stick behind it. I normally block it so no one can try to open it more, I mean if they want in bad enough they’ll break the glass. But, I was doing something one night and left the screen open too. I noticed next morning and have just left it there? He’s not ran away obviously since it’s been over a week now. But, I think he may go out there. I don’t know. I was out there the other day watering the herbs and he was walking around and disappeared. Came back with dirt all over him.”

Niall nodded half listening at this point and laid on the sofa. Harry glanced at Niall looking at him, he looked like he was about to pass out. Harry nodded to himself, he could use some sleep. He offered Niall the spare room and he accepted it.

Harry sat in silence for a few moments before he looked around, realising there was no cat in sight. He had an idea where the feline may be and got up, flipping off the overhead lights before locking up and heading to his room. He turned on the lamp by his bed and found the white feline where he usually does, curled up on Harry’s pillow asleep.

Harry began to undress too tired to worry about brushing his teeth or anything else and stripped down to nothing and climbed into the bed on the other side. He didn’t feel like disturbing the sleeping cat that was on his pillow. He ran a hand over the soft fur a few times before leaning up and over him to turn off the lamp and settled back into bed. He closed his eyes and yawned, the dream slowly coming back to him.

The person had looked so familiar to him. Like he knew him but he didn’t? Worse yet was he was sure that was not the first time he had dreamed about that person. He is pretty sure three nights after he got the cat he had dreamed about him. Only the cat had woken him by jumping on his stomach at ten in the morning wanting food. That had not been the last time the cat woke him that way and he had a feeling it would be a frequent thing.

Sure enough as Harry had suspected he was woken up by Louis jumping up onto his stomach, startling him awake. With a groan Harry moves Louis off him. Louis lays down between his legs and licks at his paws as if he didn’t do anything, and Harry rubs the sleep from his eyes as he wakes up.

Harry frowns at the cat and lays back down. He should not be surprised, yet here he is. He moves to grab his cell off the bedside table before he remembers he is on the other side of his bed and he sits back up and slips out of the bed without disturbing the feline.

Louis quickly gets up and hops down, leaving the room, leaving Harry wondering why he rushed out like that. He looks down at himself and realizes he’s naked, so he throws on some clothes.

He turns his head to see him in joggers and follows as he walks past him. Louis has taken to following Harry around and the only place he doesn’t is  the locked room at the very end of the hall that Harry keeps locked. For some reason Louis doesn’t know of, Harry shoos him off when he tries to go in there, which has made him even more curious about the contents of the room.

He sits on the counter, even though Harry always tells him to get down and watches as he puts some coffee on. A knock at the front door and a pat on his furry butt as Harry notices him startles Louis. He hops down and goes and lays on the sofa, listening to Harry talking to whoever is at the front door. The voice gets clearer as the person comes in and he realises who it is. Louis’ heart races and he perks his head up to look towards the person speaking. His eyes widen and he meows a few times.

“Any word yet?” Harry questions as he closes the door.

“No, no one has heard from Louis,” Liam says as he walks over to the sofa and flops down. 

Louis gets up and runs over to Liam, jumping up into his lap, meowing and nuzzling at Liam’s chin. Liam frowns slightly, pushing the cat back a bit. Louis mentally frowns, trying to nudge him again with his head. He hates that he is literally right here and, yet not at the same time. They are unaware that it is him. He has to tell them somehow, he just has no idea how to convey to Harry that he is Louis. He hears his name again and sits up. 

When Liam says it again, Louis meows once more. He frowns mentally and hops down, going over to Harry and bats at his bare feet. Harry is sitting in the over-sized chair talking to Liam. Harry says Louis’s name and he meows again. Still, no one notices anything. Louis jumps up onto Harry’s lap and is immediately met with a hand running over his back.

Louis arches a little enjoying the touch until he hears his name again. He repeats the meow. And once again he goes ignored as Harry scratches at the base of his tail, and on instinct, he raises his rear up, tail straight in the air and purrs. It feels so good, Louis has trouble focusing on what he’s trying to do. He can hear Niall’s voice rambling on before it ends the conversation.  The sound of him ending the call follows it. Louis looks towards Niall, who is speaking far too loud and watches Niall toss his phone on the sofa by Liam.

“So, you guys are talking about Louis? Did someone hear something or what?” Niall questions, glancing at Louis who’s now moved onto Harry’s lap when he says his name.

“No, that’s the problem. Nothing, absolutely nothing. No one has heard a thing. I even called Louis’s parents and they’ve heard nothing. Police have been notified.” Liam informed them.

Louis misses it when Niall raised an eyebrow when he meowed at the sound of his name again. 

Harry nudges Louis out of his lap so he can get up and he drops to the floor with a soft thud, glancing at Harry as he heads down the hall before he comes back with his laptop and sits back down. Louis sits on the floor by the sliding glass door. 

Louis was frustrated, he’d tried the only thing he could think of and nothing happened. They kept talking about him as Harry did something on his laptop. They had stopped saying his name and he really  _ wanted _ to cry because he was so frustrated. 

Liam was right there, missing him and he was right  _ here _ . Literally right here. Yet no one knew. No one had any idea that Louis was sitting right there. 

He heard his name again so he meowed again, just trying for something. He knew there was no point but maybe someone would catch on to the meowing when his name was spoken. So he sat there and he kept on, his name got spoken five more times and two of those were when Liam called the police station to follow up and see if anything had come in. 

Louis was oblivious to the fact that Niall sat and watched it all happen too. He stayed quiet, though, until Liam left. Louis wanted to follow him, go home with him. He followed Liam to the door, close behind on his heels until two hands grab him. He looks up at the person who has stopped him, mentally frowning. 

Harry smiles at him, “What are you doing little guy? You got to stay here.”

A little while later and Louis was laying on the counter while Harry and Niall watched television. He was bored and wanted attention and he also kind of really wanted to go home. He was grateful that he was being taken care of because this all could have gone so horribly wrong. He could have even been killed, picked up by the city. Something worse than this.

“So… I think your cat likes the name, Louis?” Louis’ ears perked up and he sat up some, looking back towards the living room area before he hops down. 

“What are you talking about?” Harry asks.

Niall continued on, “Every time you say Louis the cat meows.” Harry chuckled, Louis wandered in and hopped up on the couch where Harry was now sat next to Niall and climbed onto his lap.

“Is that true? Do you like that name little guy?” Louis sat and did nothing, he perked his ear, the right one twitching a bit.

“Louis” Niall spoke, and Louis let out a soft meow. Harry glances at Niall and repeated the name. A meow followed and Harry and Niall looked at each other.

“Frankie” Harry said, and nothing happens. Louis lays down on his lap, chin on Harry’s thigh with his feet tucked under him. Harry ran his hand down his back slowly, trying another name, that was not Louis. Niall did the same and Louis stayed still. Niall tried the name, Louis again and Louis looked up and meowed at Niall.

“That’s a bit weird if you ask me.” Niall spoke before he got up. “Anyway, I have to head out. I should get some proper food in me and some sleep. I slept so hard, I don’t feel like I slept at all.” 

Harry nodded and waved him off as he left once his shoes were on and he looked at Louis in his lap.

He stared at him, “So you like the name, Louis?” Louis meowed and looked up at him, purring softly as two fingers came to scratch under his tiny chin.

____

Louis was currently in a car and he was nervous. He’d been laying in the stream of sunlight by the sliding glass door when he’d heard Niall say it was time to get him snipped and he immediately fled to go hide in Harry’s laundry basket. It took hearing Harry smack Niall after an hour of looking for Louis for him to decide he should come out. Which was a little harder than it was to get in the basket. 

He raised a fuss and Harry found him, cradled him to his chest and told him, “Niall sits on a throne of lies. Don’t you listen to him.”

So, here he is. In Harry’s lap in a car and he has his face pressed to Harry’s stomach. He feels the car come to a stop and hears the engine shut off and he digs his claws into Harry’s lap. Harry tries to soothe him and unhooks his claws as he gets out.

When Louis chances a look at where they are going his heart sinks. They are at his building and he can see Liam’s car. He fights to get out of Harry’s hold, accidentally scratching him in the process. Harry drops Louis and he runs off towards the building entrance. He begins to meow as he tries to rush the other two men who are walking slowly. Harry scoops him back up as he opens the door and his grip is tighter on his tiny body as they head to Louis’ flat.

“He said it’s this way, the only red door.” Niall walks ahead of Harry as he speaks and stops at a red door, opening it. 

Louis fights to get down again as Harry enters the flat and he sets him down. Louis wanders his own flat as he hears Liam come out of the bathroom and greet the others. He is not sure why they are here but he has to take the chance to try and give a hint as to who he really is. Louis goes to the dirty hamper and jumps, pulling the sides to try and pull it over. He does not succeed the first time and tries again, failing. 

He frowns and tries again and this time, succeeds. He starts to drag dirty laundry out until he finds what he is looking for. A dark deep red jumper with no drawstrings and a mustard stain on the bottom. He waddles out of the bedroom with the jumper in his teeth, dragging under him and between his four legs as he heads to find Liam. Harry spots him first and raises an eyebrow as he watches Louis drag the jumper towards Liam’s voice. Liam is in the kitchen with Niall and Harry follows Louis in there, watching him still.

“All I am saying is, why would he just fucking leave? I thought maybe if I came here I would find something. And, I find a fucking note! A note Niall.  _ A note _ . A note saying he needs a holiday and he is sorry to do this and to send his family all his love, that- that he is okay and will maybe be back someday. This is not Louis  _ at all _ . Something is not right. This place does not smell like Louis, things are clean. If he needed a way--” He stops talking as he feels Louis bumping against him and Liam nudges him gently with his foot, not looking at him and continues to talk. 

“If Louis needed to get away he would go home. He always goes home. Last time he just fucking went and left tea brewing and food on the stove. It was molded as fuck when he got home. This place… this place is not Louis, man.” The cat growls low with the jumper in his mouth. 

Niall sees him and raises his eyebrows looking at Harry.

“I get it, I get it but uh… Someone wants your attention.” Niall points down toward Louis who is sitting by Liam’s feet. 

Liam looks down and backs up some before he leans down and takes the jumper. His eyebrows are scrunched up and he frowns as he looks at the cat and then both Harry and Niall.

“This is mine. Louis was wearing it last month and he practically dumped a bottle of mustard on it. He claimed he lost it.” He tightens his hold on the jumper and sighed, looking back at Louis who meows up at him.

Louis watches Liam set the jumper on the counter and leave the kitchen, Harry and Niall following behind him. Louis mentally sighs and follows them except he heads back to his bedroom and gets up on the bed. He lays down on his pillow, smelling himself on it. An overwhelming sense of homesickness slowly seeps throughout him. He closes his eyes and doesn’t hear the footsteps of someone coming into the room.

Louis slowly begins to purr and opens his eyes, looking over at Harry who is running his hand over his fur. He gets up and walks over, crawling into his lap and bumps his head against his chest. 

Louis just wants to be held, wrapped up and feel safe. He really is at a loss right now and he has no clue what to do, where to go from here. He can’t talk, he can’t write, he has drawn attention to himself every time his name is mentioned. Niall even noticed it and said something, and thought maybe Liam may do more than shrug off the jumper.

Harry wraps his arms around Louis’ feline body and lifts him up, “Let’s go little guy.” He kisses the top of Louis’ head as he heads through the flat. 

Louis keeps his eyes shut and doesn’t look around his place, letting Harry walk him through it and out the door. He dozes off in Harry’s arms on the way home and wakes when he gets out of the car. Harry sets him down on the walkway as he fished his keys out of his pocket and Louis follows him to the door and inside.

Louis walks in and goes straight to Harry’s bedroom and gets up on the bed, laying in the middle of the silken blankets and curls up with his tail over his eyes. He listens through the quiet as he hears Harry moving about his home, putting things away and such. He hears him come into the bedroom and listens as he can hear him changing. Louis lays there quietly, unmoving as he just sits in comfort, for now, sits in the quiet and hears Harry going about his business.

Neither Harry or Niall seemed to put much thought into the way Louis had acted at his flat. Unfortunately for Louis, his actions had gone ignored. He would have to figure something else out.

____

A few days later, Louis wandered into the dark bedroom, his left ear twitched as he heard a soft noise coming from the bed. He looked up and saw the dark mass shifting before it moved. Harry's arm fell off the bed with his hand dangling over the edge. Louis wandered around to the other side of the bed and hopped up, walking to to the pillow to lay down. 

He curled up with his back to the headboard as Harry rolled over again. Harry had been restless when Louis left the room earlier, which was why he left in the first place. He kept waking Louis up and it was agitating him. He couldn't do anything about it so Louis left the bedroom and headed into the living room area. 

Earlier that night Harry had been gone most of the day and into the evening. When Harry had finally returned home it was with a cloth bag. Harry had proceeded to promptly fall into the floor, calling for Louis. Louis wandered in with a bounce to his step and walked over to Harry, watching as he dumped the bag which apparently was filled with so many toys. Louis sat in front of the pile and watched as Harry dangled, jingled, waved random bright coloured objects in his face. 

Louis sat there and ignored them. What did Harry want him to do? He was acting as if Louis was some sort of animal. Oh,  _ right _ he was. At least physically. Louis batted at a ball half heartedly that had bright wisps of fabric sticking out from it with a bell on it. He looked up at Harry and watched as he smiled. So louis proceeded to bat the ball around, if it made Harry smile like that he could indulge him a bit. 

However, what really got Louis' attention was the cat nip. Harry had taken a little out and held it out in the palm of his hand and instinctively Louis sniffed at it as soon as he caught a small whiff of it. He leaned in close to Harry’s palm and sniffed at it before sneezing when it tickled his nose. He watched as Harry took some from the container and put it on a toy. Louis knew what catnip was and he recognized the smell based off having a cat at one point in his life. Although he was not sure how he was suppose to go about this. 

Instinctively he felt a huge craving for it now that he’d sniffed it. A need to lick it, roll in it and absorb it anyway he could. 

He took a tentative lick at the catnip on the ball before using a paw to hold it in place, he could hear Harry laugh and watched as he proceeded to put a bit more on the floor for him. It was a decent amount but not too much and Louis took care of that pile rather quickly. He had a strong urge to roll around in the floor where the catnip was and proceeded to do, so feeling fingers brush across his stomach he opened his eyes and looked up at Harry. He was beaming and Louis rolled over, standing up and took off running. 

He ran down the hall and felt like he had this surge of energy rushing through him. He just wanted to run, he needed to run. Which huh, Louis hates running but right now? Oh right now it was  _ amazing _ to run. He ran and jumped at Harry, jumping over his sitting form, the soft sound of his laughter began to fill the air. 

Louis liked the sound of his laugh. He walked over to Harry and rubbed against his back, soft purrs beginning to bubble from within him loudly and he laid down, stretching out his long body. 

He closed his eyes as he felt Harry slowly run his fingers through his fur. He went from feeling energetic and light, like he could do anything. Hearing Harry laugh so loudly and freely and knowing he caused such a laugh made him want to do whatever to keep that laugh going. 

Now though, an hour or so later, he was laying sprawled out on the floor with Harry next to him, his fingers tracing patterns in his fur covered belly. Louis mentally sighed, relaxing as he felt light and weightless. Kind of like the feeling when you're floating in a body of water and just drifting around. The water moves you at its own pace and you're just there. 

That was how Louis felt right now and he can not remember feeling this way ever. Last time he smoked pot was with Liam and the feeling was good. This may just top it, maybe. 

Louis was so content in laying here and letting Harry breathe softly next to him as he drew shapes in his fur. He was content to lay there and just exist. Forgetting for a few moments that he was a human trapped inside the body of a feline. He felt the soft touch of a finger running down the length of his nose and he opened his eyes slightly and focused on the soft smile facing him.

Harry was laying down with him and for once looked content. Louis wondered if he'd had his own  _ catnip _ . Louis let his eyes drift closed again as he rolled onto his back and stretched his legs out. He wanted to be weightless forever if it meant this was how it felt, if it meant hearing Harry laugh like he had, if it meant having him lay next to him in a comfortable content silence like they are now. Sleep slowly overtook Louis and he did not fight it.

Louis had woken up to darkness of the living area and wandered into the kitchen to drink from his water dish, he was slightly hungry but also really liked the idea of going back to sleep so he headed down the hall towards Harry's room and got up on the bed. He noticed Harry was not in there when he curled up on the pillow but it was not long before he wandered in, climbing into the bed.

Louis watched him as he climbed back into bed, reaching a hand out to slowly brush between Louis ears. Louis closed his eyes as Harry did what he always did, slowly trace the small bridge of his feline nose up to between his ears only to repeat it. 

He did it until he fell asleep and his hand would slide down beside Louis. But tonight as soon as Harry drifted off to sleep he rolled over only to kick the blankets off. Louis laid there awake, watching as Harry mumbled in his sleep, tossing for over an hour and a half at least. It felt like ages to Louis as he laid there in the dark silence. Harry was not settling down and Louis could not sleep so he hopped down and left the room. 

____

**xx**

_ A thousand stars shine bright above Harry as he walks towards the top of the slight hill in the field outside of a very large building. He could hear the music in the distance echoing through the night as he walks with his hands in the pockets of his black suit trousers. The light of a full moon lighting the small broken brick path towards the awaiting man in the distance. It was not a long path but it felt like hours passing by as he looks up above him, watching the twinkling of the millions of stars that surround him tonight.  _

_ A few more steps and he was now face to face with the man, hands reaching for his forearms, bare from his dress shirt being rolled up to the elbow, a few buttons had been undone earlier in the evening. The soft hands slide down his arms as he pulls his hands from his pockets, letting palms meet his and fingers thread each other. Harry smiles as the softest kiss was placed on his cheek and he ducked his head down, a small smile playing at his lips. _

_ He feels the hands slide back up his arms before clasping themselves around his neck and Harry leans his head forward, pressing it against the other man’s, smiling and closing his eyes as they began to sway together underneath the stars. Underneath the thousands of stars that were dancing above just for the two of them. Thirteen billion years, the view is beautiful and theirs alone tonight. Just him and the boy in his arms. _

_ His hands were around the waist of the swaying man and Harry pulled him closer, inhaling the heady smell of cigarettes. The lingering scent of a musky cologne drifts around in his senses as Harry buries his face into the man's neck, inhaling and feeling the soft scratch of facial hair against his cheek.  _

_ He presses against it and shifts his head some, feeling the scratch brush across his clean shaven cheek. He could feel the heartbeat of the person against his own chest and the rise and fall of his breathing. He could hear his voice inside his head, speaking soft words only he could not understand them. Almost like they were just out of reach.  _

_ He felt so near and yet also so far away from this person and Harry pulled back, trying to find their face. A hand presses against his chin, pushing him to look up at the stars above them. A thousand stars above just for them. He felt the soft touch of lips against his ear and a shiver fell through his body as the brush of air crossed his skin. _

_ ''We could drift away'' the voice was soft, a slight rasp to it as he spoke. Harry closed his eyes as he felt the man’s lips move against his ear. Breathing words he could not find and he sighs, taking a deep breath. _

**xx**

Harry opened his eyes, squinting into the darkness. He sighed and sat up, letting his feet drop to the floor below and quietly got up, heading to the bathroom. He flipped on the tap to the bath and pushed the stopper down, watching as it began to fill. He kept thinking about the man who kept appearing in his dreams. He had yet to see his face but he always had this distinct feeling that he knows this person and he feels drawn to them. Harry doesn’t know why.

   ____

Louis woke up to find himself alone in the dark. He stood up and stretched, perking his ears some when he heard the sound of water. He hopped down from the bed and went out into the hall. A flickering light danced between the dark space of a door that was left a jar. He squeezed through the small space and found Harry with his head tilted back against the tiled wall, one hand hanging over the side of the tub and water dripping from his fingers. Louis walked over, spotting two candles sat on the edge of the tub as he did. 

He tentatively flicked his tongue over one of Harry's wet fingers, watching as Harry turned his head towards Louis, a small smile playing over his lips. Harry slowly slid down, bending his knees out of the water as he did and his face disappeared out of Louis' view. Louis hopped up onto the closed toilet that was at arm's length to Harry and watched him. Harry slowly emerged from beneath the bath water, his face glistening in the flickering candle light as it ran down. His hair was wet and looked longer now. 

He ran his hands over his face and turned, tilting his head some at Louis. He put his hand back in the water and brought his hand up, flicking the water at Louis. Louis backed up, shaking his head at the small attack and meowed at Harry. 

Louis watched as Harry smirked at him and pulled his hand back. He watched quietly as the flames from the candles flickered, lighting up the otherwise dark bathroom. The night light had burned out a few days ago. He watched Harry quietly as he tried to read the different emotions that would cross his face. Louis read a bit of sadness in Harry’s expression more often than he would prefer. 

He sat with his front paws beneath him, watching as Harry ran a cloth over his chest, down his shoulders to his arms and repeated on the other arm. It was almost as if he was doing it just to feel the warmth of something touching his skin. Harry dropped the cloth into the water with a small splash as he pulled his knees up and wrapped his arms around them. He placed his chin on top of his knees and sighed. His shoulders slumping as he did. 

Louis mentally frowned, a small ache in his chest. Harry looked upset., Louis hopped down, deciding it would be best for him to leave Harry alone in his thoughts.

''No, come back.'' Harry’s quiet voice spoke, breaking the silence. Louis was almost to the door when he turned around. Harry had his head tilted towards him, still laying on his knees. He sounded upset so Louis went back over and hopped up on the edge of the tub to sit. 

  
He closed his eyes as he sat with his paws beneath him, hearing Harry call him a loaf of bread quietly. He watched as Harry hummed and moved his feet in the water. 


	3. Chapter 3

Louis stretched, his small white paws fanning out as he yawned. He blinked into the dark a few times, letting his eyes adjust. He glanced around the empty bedroom before he hopped down and crept through the door that had been left open slightly. He knew that Harry had gone out earlier that night. However, he was normally in bed when Louis woke during the night. Louis was slinking down the hall when a low noise perked his ears. They twitched, focusing on the sound. A moan. More specifically from Harry. 

Louis wandered into the living room and found Harry in what he would just simply describe as an intimate moment with another person. Louis could not tell who, and did not care to know. An instinctive feeling pooled in Louis that made him want to claw the older man's eyes out. He let out a low meow. Hate behind it, hate that he did not understand. 

Louis noticed that Harry's eyes found him in the dark living area before they lifted to the ceiling and a huff of frustration left his lips. Louis turned towards the sliding glass door and quietly left. Louis did not need to see it.  _ He did not want to see it _ .

He wanders to his corner of the yard quietly before he went and laid on the top of the large grey concrete wall. The sky that night was clear, millions of stars laid out before him as he lays stretched out on his side. His head dipped back to look up. He slowly began to draw the visible constellations in his mind as he laid there in the midnight silence. 

____

Harry closes the front door, locking it before he heads to the bathroom. He strips his clothes off and turns on the shower. Looking over himself in the mirror a few times before he checks the water temperature. He sighs before getting in and pulling the curtain closed.

He slowly soaps up a loofa and scrubs harshly over his skin. Scrubbing across his lower body, hoping to wash away the older man's spit. Harry never liked hooking up with random men. He just came out to himself a year ago. While he thinks Niall has cued in on Harry's sexuality he still has been avoiding such a topic. For the longest time, Harry was comfortable with himself. Until he wasn't. He'd been dating a lovely lady named Lily. 

He adored her in many ways. However, he could never find it in himself to fall in love with her. And the sex? It was a lot like his random hookups. He’d get off and be ready to wash her from his skin.

Harry finishes his shower, grabbing a clean towel off a shelf as he gets out. Wrapping it around his waist before he flips the light on his way out of the bathroom. He goes into his room, dropping the towel on the foot of the bed before he grabs a key off the top of his dresser. Harry leaves his bedroom and walks right, past a small cupboard door where he keeps towels and spare linens. He brings the key to a small cross lock on a bedroom door and unlocks it. Leaving the key in the lock as he goes into the room. He enters the room and closes the door behind him.

He lights a few candles and flips on an old hanging lamp in the corner of the room. The smell of random dried herbs and century-old books filter the small gunmetal grey bedroom turned altar room. Harry was a witch, and one of the things he loved more than anything was books. He had so many books on witches, history, spells, herbs, you name it. He had a book for it. At least he was going to assume as much seeing as he was always ordering books and finding them. 

That was what had led him to his ex-girlfriend, Lily. 

**xx**

Lily was something else. Her full name was, Lillian Rose Lark. When Harry had heard her full name he laughed, as if it was the funniest joke. He stopped quickly however when he looked at her face. Her eyes had narrowed and her lips were a straight line, her expression lapsed amusement. He cleared his throat and apologised. She slowly smiled at him and he relaxed. She was beautiful. In so many ways, she really was. 

Her hair was long, a mess of random flowers braided into some of the silvery blonde strands that hung past her waist. Lily was beautiful and unique, almost as if she had been around for over a hundred years. She was blind in one eye, causing that one eye to be white. She would use a prosthetic contact lens to cover the white of her eye to match the colour of her other eye. A piercing blue that was vibrant and often times Harry found himself getting lost in. 

She was petite and quiet, kept to herself a lot and was often reading. Many days, Lily would spend her time drying herbs and laying around reading. She was a witch, passed down through many generations in her family and she aspired to be the best she could, she often remarked how she  _ had _ to be the best. Harry had long ago became accustomed to her coming and going from his home ever since he inherited the house he currently lived in. 

He had few friends and rather liked it that way, liked being by himself aside from Niall. Niall was always Harry's exception to the rule in his life. Niall was a fixture in Harry’s life that he was accustomed to. Niall was also a unique being. He was stubborn and loud and often came off as childish. Niall was really smart and mature for his age. Harry called him an old man many times. He was always learning. He did not practice anything as his family line had not been very well liked. 

They tended to use their tools for bad, evil even. Niall had not wanted any part of that. However, it did not keep him from learning. He learned and he read just as Harry did. Niall did not like Lily, he said she gave off a bad vibe. He felt sick around her sometimes. It was enough for him to avoid her at all costs. Harry remembers so many things from being with Lily. How it never felt right, yet he had this compelling feeling to stay, stay and do the best he could. Almost as if he was being forced too. 

His stomach drops as he remembers the last time he saw her. When the truth had spilt from her pale pink lips in her tiny car. 

___

That day was hot, it was record-breaking hot. Harry had a foot tucked underneath him as he sat in the small two-door car. The air conditioner barely gave any freedom from the blistering heat that surrounded him and Lily was driving down the long narrow and empty road. It’s so flat that there is literally nothing in sight but fields after fields of dead grass and dead trees. 

Some trees are lush and full of green leaves, billowing out all around it. They look like they provide a comfortable shade from the sun above them. Harry leaned against the window, watching the scenery pass by as Lily sighed beside him. The ninth sigh in the last half hour, Harry knows because he counted. He doesn’t want to pull the band-aid off that wound just yet. He’d rather let it go unnoticed, but he knows deep down everything is about to stop.

It had been so simple up until last night. Last night had started out great. By the end of the night, he’d rather walk home alone in the dark than be sat next to her. A feeling inside him filled with filth and disgust had slowly formed and Harry was unable to pinpoint why. But Harry was a simple person. He disliked conflict and so he swallowed the feeling down and held his head up high. It only seemed to look semi-normal on the outside and he knew, she knew he was not okay.

Lily sighed, pressing her foot down harder on the gas. The engine revved beneath them as Harry took a heavy breath and let it out in a loud sigh, he couldn’t do this anymore. Keep his mouth shut and not have answers. He could feel her eyes fall on him and he counted down from ten in his head before turning to look at her.

''What is going on with us?'' He questioned as he dropped the foot that had been under his thigh to the floor. He watched as she pulled off to the side of the road abruptly and put the car into park.

''Oh, I don't know Harry. You tell me.'' She kept her hands on the wheel and her eyes locked forward, not looking at him.

He said nothing, looking down at his lap as he ran his hands over his jean covered thighs. She sighed and let her hands drop to her own lap before she spoke.

Her voice was shaky, quiet. ''I love you. And yet... it's so one-sided and it hurts, to be honest.''

''I know. I am sorry, Lily. I can't just turn on a switch and feel the same. I do care, trust me I do. I just...'' Harry took a deep breath and sighed, looking over at her, ''Maybe in time I will.'' He knew he wouldn't.

But for some reason, he didn't want to break up with her. A strong urge to keep this going even though deep down he knew he did not want to. 

''I have done everything I could, Harry.  _ Everything _ .'' The emphasis on the last word peaked his interest and an unsettling feeling flooded through his stomach. 

He didn't speak, waiting to see if she would continue. When she didn't he hesitated before he had to ask. 

''What do you mean by everything?'' He glanced at her before turning his attention to the window.

Lily huffed out a laugh, ''Oh, don't act surprised, Harry. You should be happy that it obviously did not work.'' 

He knew right at that moment what she meant. He didn’t even have to ask. 

''You did a spell?” He looked over at her, “On  _ me _ .'' He stared at her, he wanted to look shocked but the feeling inside of him was just disgust.

''On _ us _ , Harry. I was just trying to help  _ us _ . It was with good intentions.'' She shrugged and looked over at him.

She acted like there was no problem at all with this. Despite that Harry had always made it blatantly clear that he detested anyone using their work for love or on others without permission. Harry was a big believer in having permission to do spells on others. He believed in many things. And this was not one of them.

Harry was sitting up straight with his shoulders locked and body tense, ''No, that is not how it works. You don't go putting spells on people and call it harmless. You had no permission. No matter your intent.'' He looked over at her and her face fell.

He could see her eyes go soft, innocence playing on her face. He shook his head, slight roll of his eyes.

''Oh, don't you dare act innocent. Always using sleep spells on yourself or house protection bullshit. You're just mad you have no balls to actually use your magic.'' 

Harry rolled his eyes as he shook his head. He knew she knew better than what she was saying. He knew she knew very well what she admitted to doing was not harmless. Especially without his permission. Harry sighed.

''You can't force me to fall in love with you.'' 

She laughed at him, ''Oh please, why do you think you fucking stayed so long? I am sure eventually I could make you fall in love with me.''

Harry's head turned so quick he thought he may have whiplash and his eyes narrowed, ''Do what?! Are you fucking kidding me now? You fucking used magic to keep me here?'' 

''Harry, I used magic to get your attention, Love. It's meant to be.  _ We're _ meant to be. '' She smiled and tilted her head, putting a hand on his thigh.

He shoved it off, ''Do not fucking touch me... Just fucking drive and get us home. I am done, this is done. I  _ will _ make sure you can’t do anything to me.'' 

''Are you kidding me? You can’t leave me.'' She frowned at him, watching his face closely. 

''Just watch me, Lily.'' 

Harry frowned, eyes narrowed as she huffed and slammed her hands on the wheel, causing the horn to go off. Lily got out of the car and stomped around it to the passenger side. 

She yanked the door open and pulled on his sleeve in anger, ''Get out! Get out! Get out! Get the bloody hell out of my fucking car right now! If you want to be done, I will show you done, Harry!'' Her voice was loud and filled with anger and hurt. She scratched at him, tearing his shirt and skin in the process of pulling him out of her car. 

He fell to the ground after one particularly hard pull and climbed to his feet as she got in the passenger's seat and slammed the door shut, pushing the lockdown before climbing over to the driver side and moving the car into drive. 

''Lily! Wait! Let me in!'' Harry grabbed for the door handle and hit his fist against the window, trying to get her attention. 

Lily hit the gas and sped off. Harry jumped back to avoid her running over his feet. He looked down at his bare-feet and groaned before walking to the side of the road. He patted his pockets for his phone and bit his bottom lip, holding back a scream of frustration once he realised he had no phone. He sat down in the dirt, the heat radiating from it as he did and fell back. The sun was glaring down on him and he was sweating. He wanted to just lay there and fade away into the dirt. He was left abandoned in the middle of nowhere with no phone, no shoes. 

Harry took a deep breath in through his nose, letting it drift out slowly from his mouth and repeated it five times. Calming himself as he did, so letting his eyes slowly open. Under his breath, as he quietly began to repeat a spell to calm himself. Eventually, he stood up and looked around before he started to walk in the direction they had been driving.

**xx**

Harry ran his hand over a large book. When he had gotten home the first thing he did was make sure Lily could never successfully cast anything onto him again. He even protected Niall from her also. He debated doing the same to his sister, Gemma. Though, she had scoffed at him before laughing. Telling him she could never successfully harm her.

Harry sat for a few hours alone in his room as he read over old spells that he always had interest in doing but couldn’t obtain the needed items. At least, not for the price they held. He could spend hours reading the same things though. Get lost in the spells and the chants. Rereading history over and over and never get bored. He wanted to absorb it all. 

He left his room, locking the door back up behind him and headed to bed. The sun would be up soon and he had to go to work. He had to continue the daily ins and outs of life and nothing was going to stop that. Harry was capable of doing almost anything spell wise, but he was not about to do that because he fully believed it would come back on him three fold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If needed you can find me on Tumblr [@Nikogda!](http://www.nikogda.tumblr.com)


	4. Chapter 4

Louis stretched, a small yawn escaping his lips as he stood up. His four slender legs wobbled as his body had not fully awoken yet. He looked around the backyard, the crisp morning air and dewdrops lingering on the grass. He had spent the entire night outside. Which, much to his surprise he had enjoyed it. It was refreshing and the breeze that had slowly moved in was relaxing as he listened to it blow through the large trees surrounding Harry’s garden.

Louis arched his back before he headed to his corner of the yard and smelled the air around him. It smelled like many things. From coffee, teas, to sausages, and pancakes. He could smell almost all of Harry’s herbs and flowers. He was sometimes overwhelmed with all the things he could smell. Most times he enjoyed it. Like right now, the early morning scents drifting through the light breeze.

Louis wandered into the house and headed towards the kitchen. His water dish was half full and his food dish was empty. He drank some water before turning and leaving. The living area was empty, the house was quiet. Louis wandered down the hall and peered into the bedroom, seeing a lump of blankets and a foot from where he stood. 

He wandered into the room, the door creaking open as he did. He headed towards the bed and leapt up onto it. Louis went over to his pillow and sat down, looking Harry over. He was sound asleep and his mouth wide open. Louis’ ears twitched as he listened to his breathing, he could tell that his breathing was off. Harry rolled over and coughed, a dry and harsh cough. Louis mentally frowned. He could smell something in the air. Harry rolled over, facing Louis and he laid down, curling up so that he was facing Harry.

He watched him quietly, listening as he occasionally sniffed or coughed. His coughs were always harsh and sounded like they might hurt. Harry blinked his eyes open slowly, peering at Louis and reached a hand up and gently ran a finger over Louis’ head between his white ears. Harry’s hand came to rest in front of Louis and he laid his small head down, resting on the top of Harry’s head.

It stayed that way for a few more hours. Louis would drift off into a light sleep and anytime Harry moved, he would wake up and watch him. Before long the sun had already begun to set and Harry was still asleep. The few times he woke he just rolled over and fell asleep again. Louis just sat there, watching him and keeping an eye on him. He had this feeling inside him that he had to do it. He had to keep a watch on Harry. He had to protect him, it was instinct to do so at this point. But how could he protect him? He was only a cat.

Louis mentally sighed and stretched his paws out, one of them landing on two of Harry’s fingers and he pushed his claws slightly, pressing into them. Just the smallest of pressure before pulling them back in. He did not know Harry. He knew of Harry. A few days had passed and Harry was slowly getting better. Harry was up and moving, had even gone to the market for food and other items. Louis was following him closely, the instinct to protect Harry while he had been sick was strong.

Harry was currently sitting on his sofa with Liam at the other end, watching a movie on Netflix. He has gone twenty-four hours without a fever and was getting bored being alone so he had asked Liam to come over. It took some convincing but Liam had in the end agreed. Harry had promised Liam he was not contagious. 

Louis was laying on the oversized chair, he had been listening to their conversation until Liam started to talk about him. That was when Louis had decided to tune out. He could do without hearing his best friend talk about him as if he was dead. Because he wasn’t. He was right there, only he knew Liam did not know that.

“Remember when Lily had ditched you on the side of the road?” Liam asked as he reached for his water glass.

“Kind of hard to forget, Liam,” Harry mumbled as he sipped some ginger tea.

“I know, sorry. I just was going to say... I am so glad Louis had been coming back from that charity match. He had almost backed out because he’d twisted his ankle earlier that week. The doctor had recommended he not even play. But he was-- _ is _ , he is stubborn. He felt he owed it to go and play even if it would hurt him. I have no idea what happened to you, Harry. We may not be as close as you and Niall or others, but I do consider you a great friend. I am so glad he had been going that way.’’ Liam sighed and Louis looked over at Harry.

Louis was really confused about what Liam just said. He heard Harry sigh.

“Do you know what all happened? I almost didn’t take the ride. He had been the only person to offer and I had almost declined the offer. I’d heard him pull off ahead of me. I knew he was waiting and I got really paranoid. I was afraid of getting in a car with a stranger. Except when I looked at him, it felt like I’d known him my whole life.’’ Harry glanced at Liam.

Louis took in Harry's words as his mind started to wander off to that day. 

**xx**

Louis was driving down a long stretch of road that seemed almost never-ending to him. His music was off and windows down. The air conditioner had quit about three hours ago when he was in a different town. He made a mental note to go have it fixed next week. Louis looked up at the sky, peering through the rays of the sun that flashed across his face. He thinks he could see a cloud in the sky if he squints hard enough.

He puts his arm out the window and feels the breeze through his fingers. It's a hot breeze and he long ago decided he was going to lose skin when he got out of his car. It was an old car from the seventies and had a long leather covered row seat in the front with a matching one in the back. It was a clunker and so far it had gotten him where he was going. If it would last another three hours he would never complain again.

Louis tossed the empty water bottle into the back seat with the rest of his trash, hearing some of it blow around in the seat from the wind. He was currently two and a half hours from home and needed to stop and stretch his legs. He was in a rural area and hardly saw any cars passing at this point so he was surprised when he spotted someone walking along the side of the road. Their shirt was off and tucked into the back pocket of their jeans and head down.

He passed them and glanced back as they didn’t even bother to look up. It was a young man and his long wavy hair was in his face, blocking the view. But his skin looked red and was sweat glistened. Louis pulled over to the side of the road, taking a deep breath. He could not leave this person here, at least not without giving him water. The man was slowly approaching and Louis reached over and grabbed a bottle of water from the floor and held it out.

The stranger kept his head down and jumped when he heard Louis speak, glancing over at the car and backing away some. He squinted his eyes at the bottle. Apprehension was obvious as he hesitantly reached for the water.

''It's fine. What are you doing out here by yourself?'' Louis questioned as the stranger took the water. Louis glanced down, noticing the guy was barefoot.

Louis frowned, he had to give him a ride now. He couldn't let this person keep walking in the heat like this without shoes. The male shrugged, taking a long drink from the bottle.

Louis sighed, ''Get in. I will give you a lift to the next town. Maybe you can get a ride.''

He watched the guy’s sunburnt face as he looked down at the ground before speaking, ''I don’t have anyone to call, I don’t have my cell.''

Louis frowned at him. ''Get in any way, we’ll figure it out. You are miles from the closest town and to be honest, I doubt you’d even make it before you pass out.''

The man looked around and his shoulders slumped. He walked around to the other side of the car and got in. Louis started the car and moved back onto the road as he glanced over at the man.

''My name is Louis.''

The man looked at him and finished off his water, ''Harry.''

His green eyes glanced past Louis as he looked out the window. His skin was red and he was definitely going to have a horrible sunburn. Louis gazed at him once more, noticing his tattoos before looking back at the road. For the most part, it was a silent drive. Harry dozed off for half an hour but woke with a start, hand reaching out to grab Louis' forearm.

Louis almost jerked the wheel at that. When he chanced a glance, Harry's face was pale and he looked awful, ''You alright?'' He asked as he slowed down in case he needed to pull off.

''Yeah. Sorry. Long story... Had a bad dream.'' His voice was soft and quiet and Louis sighed.

He pulled over anyway and turned the car off. It was not Louis’ business but he wanted to know if this stranger, Harry, if he was in trouble. Louis was thinking the worst. So many possibilities came to mind as to why someone would be walking out in the middle of nowhere, barefoot with no one to call. Also, Louis was nosy, very nosy.

He offered another water to Harry, “What happened to you? I mean... I know it’s not my place but... Are you going to be okay?”

Harry shrugged, his head was tilted down as he looked at his hands and rubbed his palms on his dirty torn jeans. He sighed and exhaled the air slowly, looking over at Louis.

''This girl I was with, we were on our way home and just--” Harry exhaled slowly, running his dirt-covered hands over his red face. “Basically, long story short. We fought, we broke up and she threw me out of her car. I just started walking. No phone, nothing. I mean… I don’t even have my fucking shoes. She just pulled over and got out and just dragged me out, leaving me in the middle of fucking nowhere. I just want to go home.'' His voice was barely above a whisper now.

At that Louis started the car and pulled back onto the road. True or not, the emotion was there. The hurt was in the boy's voice. Louis could at least get him home. So he did, he drove on to take him home and even waited outside Harry’s house to make sure he could get in.

**xx**

Louis had jumped down and gone over to Harry after hearing Harry talk about him. Louis had stopped and offered water and a ride and some sanctuary from the sun for a few hours. He took him home, he idled out in front of his home until Harry had closed his front door. He’d had forgotten the whole event over time, going on with his life. When he had met Harry at a pub with Liam one night months later, he barely remembered Harry. He recognised his face and voice. But had trouble placing him. He felt awful because Harry had obviously remembered him.

Over the course of the evening Louis had found out how often their paths always crossed and Louis never noticed. How many times Harry had been there in the background of some social event Louis was at, how often he was at Liam’s when he had run by to pick something up. Or been in Liam’s car when he would take Louis somewhere when his car finally died for good.

Louis nudged Harry's hand with his nose, licking at it gently. 

A soft apology for not realizing it sooner. He could hear something in Harry’s voice when he spoke about Louis to Liam. Louis had lost several opportunities to meet Harry, and he wishes he could go back and time and change it.

Louis took it upon himself after that to be nicer to Harry. Although he was a cat, he could still make an attempt, couldn’t he? He found no harm in at least trying. He was beginning to care for this human who had taken him in and fed him. Given him a place of shelter and given him comfort and attention that Louis didn’t know he needed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I was late updating!   
> Hope you enjoy this (short sorry) chapter!

Two months. It has been two months since Louis’ world was drastically changed. Yet, it did not feel like it had been at all. Every day was a lazy day for Louis. He spent most of his days laying in the strips of sunlight that would peer through the glass sliding door while Harry was out doing whatever he did. Louis was not too sure what that was.

Right now though, Louis was sprawled out on his side. His feline body appearing longer than it normally did. He slipped his claws out and dug them into the large duvet on Harry’s floor. It may have been on the sofa earlier, Harry had tossed it there after he took it out of the dryer. And if it somehow ended up on the floor well, Louis may or may not have been involved in that.

One of his claws snagged on the blanket and he shook it free, a small yawn escaping his little feline mouth. He perked up as he heard the familiar footsteps of Harry approaching his front door. The sound of the keys unlocking it as Louis rolled over, tilting his head back slightly to watch for Harry.

He heard Harry enter the home with a sigh and the sound of his things dropping to the wooden floor. His keys landed with a clank in a large metal dish with some old mail in it. Harry wandered into the kitchen and Louis blinked his eyes closed once more, listening to the quiet sounds of the house. The occasional cabinet closing and the kitchen sink turning on and off.

He listened as Harry moved from the kitchen to his bedroom. Louis’ feline hearing abling him to hear the dresser drawers open and close and Harry’s footsteps going into another room and back out. Harry was like clockwork. He would do the same things every day when he got home. Go into the kitchen, get something to drink before going and changing into joggers and doing any household chores he had to do and Louis would lay where he was at the time and listen as Harry moved about.

Louis startled when he heard a gasp, followed by a ‘tsk’ and opened his eyes, seeing Harry standing over him. He meowed softly up at Harry, trying to appear cute.

“Really? That was clean and now it’s on the floor.” Harry leaned down and tugged on the corner of the duvet.

Louis rolled as it was pulled from beneath him before getting to his feet and stretching his back legs out behind him one at a time. A large hand came and cupped him underneath his stomach, lifting him up and to Harry’s chest and he let him. He will never admit that this was something he enjoyed. When he becomes a human again, he would keep this a secret that he may just miss the feeling of being cradled against Harry’s chest and listening to the pattering of his heartbeat.

Speaking of which, as much as he was enjoying the laziness of life as a cat however, he really wanted to go home. He wanted to be a human again. To see his family and go have a pint with Liam. He wanted to work and study and live and exist as a human. Louis was slowly losing hope though. He tried in his own ways to let Harry know he was someone inside a body of a cat. He tried in any way he knew he could. He tried letting Liam know once by clawing at the television when a news report came on about him. He got scolded and pushed away.

Somedays Louis wanted to give up, give up on trying and just accept his fate. Maybe this was how it was supposed to be, just maybe this was exactly what life had planned for Louis all along.

The thing is, Louis did try to communicate with Harry, Liam, and even Niall. He tried to get their attention. He failed horribly most times at doing so. Louis was about to give up. He was ready to throw in the metaphorical towel and just live out his life as a cat. At least it wasn’t so bad, right? He was fed, he was cared for. He may even be adored if he ventured that far to guess.

His eyes once again drifted shut as he relaxed into the sofa, the tip of his tail lightly flicking against the awful green velvet fabric beneath him. The awful coloured sofa may or may not now have claw marks on the back of it after Harry kicked him out of the bed one night. Louis despised this sofa. Yet Harry seemed to love it. Louis had to wonder about Harry’s tastes.

His ears perked up and he opened one eye as he heard the sound of a lock coming undone and the familiar sound of the eerie creak of a door being opened at the end of the hall. He knew Harry had stepped into the room as the old wooden floor beneath Harry’s bare feet hit one particular spot and the wood gave some at his weight. Sometimes this house made the eeriest of noises, something that took Louis a while to get used to. Now he finds a comfort in those odd noises.

Louis did not hear the door close behind Harry so he stood from his place and hopped off the sofa, wandering towards the hall. He headed into the hall and slowly slinked towards the open door that faced him at the end of the hall. He slowly peered into the open door, the familiar scent of flowers and herbs that Harry kept around overwhelmed him.

He sniffs at the air, finding a lingering scent of dirt and smoke mixed with some unfamiliar scents as he moves further into the room. Louis spots Harry by a window flipping through a book and he slowly walks further into the room. He notices bottles of different sorts around the room and books everywhere, a wall of built-in shelves with old books placed in an orderly fashion, some newer ones are sat askew and stacked. 

Louis walks over to a chair in the corner, it’s an ugly velvet green that matches the sofa. He hops up, seeing Harry glance at him and smile before going back to what he was doing. He spots a ledge from the curved, bay window and jumps up on it, walking towards the table in front of Harry. He walks to the middle of the ledge and the window, sitting down and facing Harry. His focus on the large obviously old and worn book in front of him.

Louis tried to read the scripture in it and struggled, noting it does not look like English. He watches as Harry grabs a large clear glass bottle and some flowers and goes over to another table with a large black bowl. Louis continues watching while Harry begins to speak he slowly feels the air inside him leave.

As Louis watches Harry the realisation slowly begins to hit him. He glances around the room, around at the books and notices the symbols on them, the bottles and herbs all over the place. Louis feels his heartbeat pick up pace inside his small body and he feels as though the air is suddenly sucked from his lungs.

Louis stands up and lets out a low growl, his fur puffing up as he meows lowly at Harry who turns around, wide-eyed and looks over at Louis, some dried flowers in his hand and a crusher in the other. Harry frowns and sets the items down and moves to pet Louis. Louis arches his back and hisses before he swats at Harry and flees the room.

He runs into the living area and ducks under the sofa, hearing Harry’s footsteps fall closer as he comes in. Harry kneels down and looks under the sofa, Louis mentally curses at himself. He has already had to hide from Harry before when he knocked over a glass vase he had sat out with some flowers in it. Louis could not help himself, the smell was inviting and he had an urge to rub all over them.

“Come out, it’s okay. M’ not going to hurt you.” Harry is lying on his stomach with his head on his arms and Louis hisses at him again, a low growl following the hiss. 

Harry reaches his hand out cautiously, slowly and lays it in front of Louis. Louis can no longer have any trust in Harry, he is what the woman who put him this way was. Now he is stuck here and forced to live here as a cat for a filthy witch? Louis wants to run away, he’d rather face the city over being here.

“Please trust me. I am not going to hurt you. I promise. I don’t know why you’re so scared.” He nudges Louis’ tiny chin with his index finger and Louis shuffles back.

“Why are you scared, little guy?” Louis’ ear twitches.

“Can you come out please?” He tries again to reach for Louis but Louis hisses once more and swats at his hand again. This time his claws are out and he knicks Harry’s hand.

Harry sighs and pulls his hand back and glances at the small knick in his skin. He lays there, quiet for a moment before opening his mouth to speak once again, hesitantly, “Did someone hurt you?” 

Louis meows softly again and doesn’t move this time.

“Did a human hurt you?” Louis does not react, he isn’t sure how to react to that, she was a witch, aren’t they technically human?

He heard Harry sigh and watched as he reached for him a little more and Louis stayed still. He’s trying and he doesn’t want to do anything negative or positive. Worrying if he does one or the other if Harry was to pick up on anything that he may take something wrong. Not that he should be trusting him, now that he knows what Harry is.

Harry stays still for a moment before he opens and closes his mouth. It's obvious that he is hesitant. Louis can practically see the hamster wheel spinning inside his mind as his face shifts through emotions and he nods.

Harry opens his mouth, taking a slow breath, “Did a witch hurt you?” Louis can hear it in his voice, that Harry is having trouble with this.

 

___

He is, is the thing. He is asking a cat if a witch hurt him. A cat of all things. He knew about familiars but he also was not stupid. This was just a cat who was suddenly very apprehensive about Harry. And all Harry knew to do was just go with the flow right now. So if that meant asking a cat weird questions and assuming the response was not a coincidence, so be it. 

Louis meows a bit louder and moves closer towards Harry this time and Harry nudges his finger against Louis’ chin. He allows him and meows softly.

“A witch hurt you. Can you understand me? I am fucking talking to a cat, no you can not understand me this is stu-” Louis meows louder and comes out slowly.

Harry sits up with his legs crisscrossed and Louis bumps his head against his arm.

Harry runs his hands over Louis’ tail, “Bite me if a witch hurt you.”

He hesitated strongly feeling even more stupid. But, Louis bites him. Maybe a bit too hard.

Harry jumps to his feet and backs away from Louis, eyes wide and he goes to the room they both fled from. Louis hesitantly heads towards the room. He follows Harry in and sees him digging through books.

Harry sighs and flops down on the floor as Louis walks over to him, “I promise you little one, I am not going to hurt you. If another has hurt you… I am so sorry for that. I don’t understand myself what is going on.” 

Louis sits in front of him as Harry continues on talking and runs his fingers through the longer hair on Louis tail that has curled around the front of his paws.

“I want to know what is going on because it seems like you understand me. I think only familiars can understand like I mean obviously, animals understand but… respond and communicated in a way with a witch? I mean we really… are we? Are we communicating? This is stupid. But, I never really bought into it. My Mum never had much to say about familiars. She only sold herbs and such and never really did anything.”

 

___

Louis sighs mentally and watches Harry. He is so close and yet, so very far away from fixing this. A witch did this to him, and now he is stuck with a witch. Only at least Harry had learned he could kind of communicate. Louis does not trust Harry, however, he has to at least try. Because right now this may be his only way to getting back to himself.


	6. Chapter 6

Niall suddenly barked out a loud laugh stopping as soon as he took notice of the way Harry was currently shooting daggers at him from across the room where he is was standing with his arms crossed before dropping them to his side with a heavy sigh. Harry runs his hands through his chin-length golden brown, curly hair and tugs on it a bit out of frustration.

“No. No, The cat was someone’s familiar… I think. And like they did him wrong, hurt him, or something. I think that…’’ Harry pauses, taking a deep breath and runs his hands over his face, fingertips pushing back up to go through his hair once more. 

He had been going over all of this in his mind, to himself both mentally and verbally and while nothing makes sense to him. This is the only thing he can think of that might make sense.  

“Maybe abused his trust or something, I do not know. I know though that now he is skittish around me because he was fine with me until he went in the spell room. Once he went in there it all changed, Niall.”

“So, the cat can tell you do magic? This really absolutely sounds… Harry I know how familiars work but for a cat to just suddenly be aware you are a witch from entering a room? It makes no sense… and you’re a witch, Harry.” Niall bites his bottom lip, a smirk playing on them.

“You really wanted to make a joke didn’t you?” Harry sits down on the coffee table as Niall snickers.

“Yeah. I did but I behaved. I realised now is not the time.” Harry rolls his eyes as Louis walks in.

Louis had been listening over the last few hours. Harry had been all over the internet, calling his Mum and other people. 

Harry had been successful at getting a few responses from Louis. He flat out told him later that day that Louis discovered he was a witch if the answer is yes make a mewing noise. If it is no a low meow noise and it worked for the most part. Louis would meow here and there.

After some trying it worked, and Louis got chicken scraps for dinner. Louis hopped up on Niall’s lap and nudged him with his head as he sat down, kneading into his thigh. Niall pets him and looks at him before glancing over at Harry.

“I am telling you, Niall. I have a familiar now. The thing is he is not mine. He is someone else’s and I have no idea how those things work. I As far as I know I can’t just keep someone else's familiar.”

“Thing is Harry, I think the way it works is you and a familiar are drawn together as if by a magnet, each intuitively knowing they are meant to be together. So… I mean. Maybe he was meant to be here? Maybe he is meant to be your familiar.” Harry shrugs, it sounds plausible and even though Niall refuses to live a life as a witch or be involved in any of it, he still learns about it. 

He tries to understand because it runs in his family. He just made the choice to not practice any spells or magic. His family had a history of being largely into black magic. Niall did not agree with it, because he had often  seen the downside of it. 

Louis rolls off the couch with a thud after trying to stretch out onto his back. Harry’s hands are on him quickly, lifting him up onto his lap.

“I really do think he is with me for a reason. I feel this really overpowering need to help him. I can’t figure it out.” He runs his hands over Louis’ furry tummy as Louis lays on his side, his paws to Harry’s stomach.

A few days later and Harry has been bringing home books left and right. Louis even got to go on a little trip in his bag to the library. Harry would read little excerpts to him and Louis curled up in the bottom of the bag that had a makeshift little bed made out of a worn jumper Harry had tossed in there for him. 

**____**

Louis ended up dozing off to Harry’s quiet reading in the library. He was woken when Harry got up, opening a flap from his bag to scratch behind Louis’ ear. He yawned and curled back up as Harry carried them both back home. He was getting accustomed to Harry. Harry had so many quirks that Louis had been weirded out about as he was essentially a human male in a feline body. 

He quickly learned he could feel some feelings but not others, which took some time to get used to.. Louis could be angry and sad, feel home sick and scared. He could care about things and he could find a childish joy in random things. He found amusement in random objects and being a little shit sometimes. 

Louis began to really watch Harry. He  focused on the way he moved and spoke. He observed how he moved about the house and interacted with other people. He wanted to learn as much as he could about Harry.. Harry had all these little habits. These habits included: nudity, stress cleaning, and stress cooking. Harry would sometimes do all these at the same time. Harry was almost always scribbling little things here and there in a notebook or reading from one of the many large books he had. 

Harry never went anywhere or had anyone over outside Niall and Liam. If he did go out, he returned alone and too drunk to function. Louis discovered he was lonely and he seemed to prefer it that way.. Louis took notice after that one time he saw a stranger here, that it never happened again and sometimes Harry would lie to get out of plans with Liam or Niall to stay home. Louis liked to think that Harry did it to stay with him.

Louis slowly found himself adjusting to these things, to being a cat and owned by Harry. He wasn’t necessarily giving up on being human, but he has learned that there’s not much he can do about his situation right now. He knows that when the opportunity comes, he’ll take it.

Liam is still paying the rent to Louis’ flat every month, no matter what Niall or Harry try to tell him. He seems convinced that Louis will come back and won’t let anyone else convince him otherwise. It makes Louis’ heart twinge seeing how determined Liam is to find him, and Louis wishes he can speed things along and ease his best friend’s worry.

The news reports have come to a stop now. People have started to believe Louis did make the choice to leave. His family had fought it, according to what Liam told the boys, however the fought was lost on deaf ears and everyone went on to the next big news story. It was hard for Louis to take in, but he understood though, he really did.

**____**

Unbeknownst to Louis though, Niall was busy being Niall. He had gone home and begun to look into familiars and witches and how they worked together. 

Niall was busy one night a week later, reading over some stuff online when he got an idea, and so he rang up his Great-Aunt, told her his idea and without missing a beat, she quickly responded to his question that yes, some old witches have been capable of turning humans into cats. She informed him that there are ways for witches themselves to turn into felines for a short amount of time. 

She went on and told him about a few and how many ended up being killed for turning others into cats because it was viewed to be cruel and awful magic. Due to the fact that many times the witches did not let the cats return to their human forms. And over the time, their human conscience disappeared and they became cats permanently. 

The ones who did not though would live on for hundreds of years as felines with a human mind and partial human emotions.They would be left trapped inside the body of a cat for many, many years. Left to watch their loved ones pass on. 

Niall told her about Louis and Harry, and how they’ve been communicating. He admitted to her that something has felt off  and Niall has tried to pinpoint but been unable to figure it out. It was almost as if it was on the tip of his tongue. Almost as if he knew exactly what it was, he just could not quite reach it. His Great-Aunt informed Niall or Harry had to become a cat in order to get the answer they’re looking for. 

She passed the spell down to Niall letting him know it would be temporary and while she had never done it herself, she knew plenty who had done it successfully.

Niall took the spell willingly, prepared to do it himself because that itching feeling that has existed from the day he saw the cat has grown and he is ready to find out what it is. 

So that was why Niall was now stood in Harry’s altar room, Harry was staring at him like he just told him the most insane thing ever. But, Harry was a witch, so he should be able to grasp this concept.

Harry glanced at Louis, the petite feline who just sauntered in like he owns the place, and he watched him as he rubbed on Niall’s leg in a greeting.

‘‘For reals, Ni? This is insane.” Harry closed the large old brown and red book that he’d been reading and leaned on the table in front of him. 

Niall raised an eyebrow at Harry and looked down at the white cat sitting on his foot, chewing on a shoelace. He was a cat after all, weird things had started to grab his attention. 

Niall cleared his throat, “I am just saying, H. We can find out why he freaked out on you. I mean what if-” He stopped himself because he had not told Harry everything he thought.

He was hesitant to tell Harry how there had been witches who willingly turned humans into cats and that some of them lost their human part of them and lived as old cats until their last breath. He did not tell him that even others would live out their lives very aware of all the things going on and be stuck as felines. He was not sure how to tell him. 

If Niall was honest right now, he did not really want to tell him either. He had noticed how Harry had slowly began to become attached to the small white cat. He knew it would emotionally affect him to find out the possible outcomes. 

“Like this could help you understand alright? I mean, it’s pretty harmless to you. It is temporary. It has been done many times. What do you have to lose?” 

Harry sighed and ran his hands over his face, “Alright. Fine. Whatever, it’s whatever. We can do it. Just tell me what to do and, let’s do it.” 

Niall grinned, turning his back to Harry and clapped his hands as he picked up his bag.

“Great! I will go see what I can gather and I will see you tomorrow. This time tomorrow, You will be a cat!” He was excited and he was not trying to hide it. 

Harry rolled his eyes and nodded, “Yeah well if this goes wrong, I do not have to be a human to curse you Ni.” Niall turned back to Harry and saluted him before leaving. 

**___**

Harry stood up and looked down at Louis who was cleaning his tail. He reached down and picked him up, cradling him in his arms and pressed his face into the back of Louis’ fur covered head. He inhaled deeply, the scent of grass and cat, whatever that part was drifting through his senses. He found a weird comfort in Louis’ smell. He always smelled like grass and air and something else. Something Harry just called cat. Like, if he had to describe what a cat smelled like, he would hold Louis out for someone to smell and simply explain that that, was what the smell of cat was. 

Harry walked out of the room, pulling the door behind him and not bothering to lock it this time. He headed to his bedroom and dropped Louis down onto the bed before laying down beside him. Louis walked over to the pillow he always slept on and laid down, looking at Harry. 

“So this time tomorrow, I am going to be just like you. I do not know if you understand what I am saying. It’s obvious that you have communicated with me… I think at least. Maybe it was all in my head. All I know though is one way or another I will find out if you are someone’s familiar.”

Harry slowly closed his eyes, he felt overly fatigued and was just emotionally done with everything right now. Niall had explained to him what would happen. That he would be able to tell the cat’s thoughts. Be able to find out why he was scared and who he belonged to, if he belonged to anyone. 

Louis was not sure of all what would be happening. He only knew what Harry had just said to him. He hadn’t listened to Niall and Harry’s conversation earlier. So when Harry tells him that he himself will be a cat tomorrow it leaves him a little put back. What does that mean exactly? Will harry find out Louis is a human? Will he be able to finally let someone know he is Louis Tomlinson? He was confused.

Louis got up and jumped off the bed. He headed out of the bedroom and down the hall towards the backdoor. He needed air and he needed space. Space from what, he was not sure of. He just knows he wanted out of the house right now. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really want to thank everyone who has given kudos, left comments and shared the [Tumblr post](http://nikogda.tumblr.com/post/166848846554/louis-stood-still-motionless-as-he-felt-her-cold). It means loads to me!  
> Also I need to thank my [BETA](http://dimpled-halo.tumblr.com) once more!

Louis yawned and stretched his tiny paws out as he watched Harry continue to clean up. He was stress cleaning just like he had been doing for half the morning. Harry had swept the living area multiple times in the last three hours. And he was once again doing so.

Louis was currently sitting on the floor, watching Harry move about. He sat and watched as Harry dropped the broom with a thud before he groaned and slid down a wall towards the floor. Harry ran his hands over his face, thumping his head against the wall in frustration.

Louis walked over to Harry and nudged his arm with his head gently. Harry sighed and ran his fingers over Louis’ head, between his ears. Louis closed his eyes and began to purr, hoping that his own calmness would help Harry to relax.

“What am I doing, Lou? I am about to turn into a fucking cat. I mean no offence but. What the fuck am I agreeing to?” Harry questioned before he leaned back against the door.

Louis sat down on one of Harry’s outstretched legs. He wishes he could answer Harry. What would he even say? Because he certainly did not sign up for this himself. He did not ask for any of this. He just knows it happened and now he is about to see Harry as a feline also.

Louis was not sure what to expect at all. He himself had so many questions. So many questions and no answers. He was going to have to play the waiting game.

Harry's front door opened and closed with a slam and after a few moments Niall appeared and walked through the living area and headed straight towards the last door down the hall. Louis felt Harry lift him onto his lap and run both of his hands across the sides of Louis’ face.

“This is it I guess. In a bit, I’ll be like you. I’ll be able to know if you’ve been hurt by someone. We will be able to communicate mentally. I’ll understand your meows. So if you understand me. Help me out alright? If I'm honest right now, I'm a bit scared” Harry was speaking quietly. 

But Louis’ cat ears picked up every word and breath that came out of Harry’s mouth.

Harry was holding his feline head in both hands. His thumbs running up and down between Louis’ eyes. Their eyes were locked and he did. He understood exactly what Harry was asking, how he was feeling. He mentally promised Harry he would do whatever he could to help. Because when this was done he  _ needed _ Harry to know he was Louis Tomlinson.

Niall came into the living area and cleared his throat, “Alright, H. We need to get this over with. Leave the cat though. I will bring you to him.”

Harry sighed once more and gently moved Louis off of him. He watched as Harry stood up and wiped his joggers off before he followed Niall down the hall. Louis sat still as he watched the door to Harry’s alter room close behind them both.

Louis sat up straight with his long white tail tucked around his two front paws. He sat and he waited, staring straight ahead at the closed door. He was not going to move until that door opened and both Harry and Niall reappeared.

When they did, Harry would temporarily be a cat also. Harry would be just like Louis, even if it was just for a short amount of time. Louis did not like this at all because all he could think of was every way it could go wrong. All these things that could potentially happen. What if it messed up and went wrong?

**_____**

In the altar room, Niall was standing by a medium oval shaped table with a bowl in front of him. He was busy humming and talking to himself, occasionally counting out loud. Harry stood by the door with his hands clasped together. Occasionally he would rub a thumb over his palm before scratching it. He was nervous and he wanted to appear not to be. He was trying to come off as calm and contained.

Niall saw past it though, glancing up at Harry with a raised eyebrow, “Oh come off it, H. You’ll be fine. You’ll turn into a cat for a bit and when the time is up you will become a human again.”

Harry nodded before rubbing his palms over his jogger clad knees and walked over to Niall.

“Tell me again, just once more, please... How this is going to work.” Niall sighed, glancing up at Harry.

He let his shoulders slouch and he nodded, he knew Harry was scared. He knew anyone who was about to suddenly become a feline had to be a little nerve-wracked.

“Well, okay. I am going to finish this up. Once this is done, I will say what needs to be said. You will drink this-” He waves an empty small vial before setting it back down, “Only it will have something in it. I do not know how instant it is, or how long it takes. Logically I want to tell you this will not hurt, however, I honestly can not comprehend how it couldn’t. The thing is you get three hours from the time I say the words. You have to keep track and not be in public three hours from now.”

Harry nodded as Niall flipped through the book he was reading from and going back to the page he was on. He grabbed a plant called cat's whiskers. When Harry had seen them he had fallen in love. Niall had a white bunch and a lavender bunch. He’d only needed the white ones but thought Harry may enjoy the lavender bunch. 

It had cost him a bit to get them as they did not grow where they lived. He had brought a few plants with the word cat in the name. Catnip, Cat’s whiskers, and Cat’s tail. The last one was beautiful and Harry had just fallen in love looking at it. It was called a Black Cat Petunia.

The petals almost looked like they were black velvet flowers. Harry had decided he would hold the small pot in his hand and admire them as Niall had set about getting to work on the spell. Luckily the only thing that had to be dried, Niall had been able to already have done. It would take them six hours otherwise.

Harry was a bit sad when Niall asked him to get the Black Cat Petunias and proceeded to rip the petals from the stems. Niall had a small electric kettle by the window ready to go, he put the Black Cat Petunia petals in a small mug and poured boiling water over them. He slowly added other petals to the mug and sat the kettle down. He brought the mug of steeping petals over to the table and sat it down.

Harry watched closely as Niall finished up, he took a small clear glass and dipped it into the bowl, pulling some of the contents into the bowl and added it to the mug of petals. He stirred it around some before straining it over another bowl. Harry watched as all the contents poured a murky coloured liquid with steam into the new bowl. The smell was something different. Not that bad though. He could catch the scent of all the flowers and a few of the oils Niall had mixed in.

Niall sighed and pushed away from the table, Harry watched as he left the room quickly and waited for him. He heard a hiss from down the hall and Niall rushing back in, pushing the door closed behind him.

“I forgot we needed a real cat’s whisker too.” He stated as he dropped it into the bowl.

Harry frowned, “So you just decided to go help yourself? What the fuck, Niall.” 

Niall shrugged, “What else was I meant to do? Go to the market and buy one?”

“Yes! We do have that here you know. A world of witches and all.” Harry stated matter-of-factly.

“Yes well, Harry. I forgot. Also, why would I go pay money for something I can get free here? Besides, I mean it does not state that it should be specific but I feel like in this case, having Louis’ whisker could be better over some random cat.”

Harry nodded because Niall has a point. He hated admitting when Niall might be right, but he gave him this one. Niall clapped his hands together after he poured everything into a small vial and handed it to Harry.

“Alright. I will say these words and you will drink it.” Niall said, turning the page of the book in front of him.

Harry took the vial and held it close to his lips, smelling the contents. He really hoped it did not taste awful, he had tasted some awful stuff in his time playing with spells.

“Remember when you told me about that one spell? Where you use a bushel of Spider Chrysanthemum chopped on a midwinter's eve, a kettle of oysters mashed at the autumn equinox, squished fur of a magpie. Dissolve with acid in the cauldron for three minutes by the egg timer. And you’d said the effect was that it induces chickens to climb trees, and makes rich merchants turn into turnips? I wanted to try it so bad and you wouldn’t let me.” Harry blinked up at Niall with a smile on his lips.

Niall stopped what he was doing and cracked up laughing, “You remember that? Oh my god, Harry. You wanted to do it so bad. You did not believe me when I told you it was not real.”

Harry smiled at Niall, the tension he held in his body leaving a bit as they both fell into laughter. Niall slowly became serious again and took a deep breath.

“Alright, let’s do this.” Harry was the one to speak now, holding the vial up, nodding at Niall.

Niall tapped an empty vial against Harry’s full one and nodded back before looking down at the page. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, opening his mouth and letting the words fall from his lips. He opened his eyes and looked at Harry and told him to drink the concoction. Niall watched as Harry shot the vial back in one swift motion, swallowed it down and sat the vial on the table with a clank. He frowned and made a noise of disgust and took a deep breath.

Harry said nothing, he was afraid if he said something it would mess everything up again. So instead he stood there with his eyes closed and mentally pulled himself into a feeling of peace and calm. He opened one eye and saw Niall closing the book and cleaning up, keeping quiet also as they waited.

They would not have to wait long because Harry suddenly felt a sharp coldness in the centre of his body, he frowned and took a deep breath, breathing as it became sharper, and pain followed behind it. He fell to the floor and bit his bottom lip, trying to remain calm as his body slowly began to curl in and the pain burned through his body from the center of his stomach outward. It was a cold sensation, like ice digging into his skin and it burned behind it. He pulled himself into a fetal position trying to calm himself.

He knew this would pass, he knew this may hurt and he knew before too long it would be over and the pain would be gone. He knew once he opened his eyes he would be a feline. Harry took a slow, deep breath and felt all the pain slowly begin to subside. His body burned still but even that was slowly fading.

Niall glanced over at Harry and reached down, grabbing his joggers off the floor and began to fold them up. He sat them on the table and kept a close eye on Harry. He had read up enough about this to know that Harry would deal with some pain. He knew it would pass and all he could do is just let it happen. Eventually, Harry would be able to go be a cat for a few hours and hopefully be able to figure out what he needs to.

It was all a waiting game for the moment. Louis was still waiting in the same spot he had been left. He was waiting and staring straight at the door ahead of him. He knew that the next time that door opens, Harry would be just like him. His nerves zipped through like a fire in a wheat field and he blinked slowly, the tip of his tail flicking up and down against the old wooden floor.


	8. Chapter 8

Louis was still sitting in the same spot that he had been in when Harry and Niall disappeared into Harry’s alter room. His feet tucked close to his body and his feline posture showed just how long and lean his feline form was as he sat up straight. His long tail was flicking up and down across the hard wooden floor as he anxiously stared at the door down the hall from him. It felt like ages as he sat here, waiting and watching. He debated walking outside but the storm that had rolled through - which if you asked Louis, it was oddly fitting to listen to while he waited. 

After another few moments and a worried Louis, the door opened. Niall stood there, holding it open as he waited. Louis found himself holding his breath, for what he did not know. A moment later a black cat appeared hesitantly in the doorway and Louis blinked. Slowly, the black cat slinked out into the hall and headed towards Louis with a slight obvious hesitation. Louis could sense the nervousness that this feline was trying to hide. 

Niall followed behind, a few steps back to leave a little distance as the two cats came face to face. Louis’ tail stopped its movement and he inspected the black cat that was now standing in front of him. His eyes were a piercing green, almost emerald with flecks of gold. He had three small, barely there flecks of white on his ear. Niall came up behind them and looked at them both. 

A low chuckle escaped his lips, “Well, I should say I am surprised. However, I really am not.’’ 

Both cats looked up at him and he shook his head, “Alright, H you have three hours. Do whatever you need to do, but please be back here in three hours. Do not go far and be careful.”

Louis looked back at Harry and he felt like every breath inside his lungs had been sucked out of him. He never thought he would find a feline attractive and yet, yet here he was. Definitely thinking this was the most beautiful cat he had ever seen. 

After a few moments of staring, Harry walked over to Louis a little closer and inspected him. Louis stood up and bumped him with his head. He heard a faint noise and did it again. The noise got a little louder. Louis focused on the noise as it slowly got clearer. It was Harry’s voice, Harry was communicating with him. He closed his eyes for a moment and focused on just that voice. 

“Can you hear me? I can hear your thoughts. I hope this works… Hello? Please hear me.” 

Louis would gasp if he could because he could hear him. He could hear him so clear.

“I hear you… I can hear you.’’ He was nervous, why was Louis nervous? He had so much he wanted to say. So much that he had to say.

So much he could say. He had three hours, he could say it but Harry would still be a cat for three hours. He should make the best of at least two of those three hours. Do what he should of done as a human, all those times that he was around Harry and never did. Those times he ignored him. 

“Wait, can you hear all my thoughts?’’ Louis questioned as Harry sat down. 

‘’Only if they are direct. I think. It’s weird getting used to.” Harry’s tail brushed against Louis’ tail as he spoke. 

Louis glanced at their tails and pulled his away before standing, “So, I am not sure where to begin with all of this, so maybe I should just spit it out? But first I just--” Louis stopped, watching as Harry jumped away from him, darting outside quickly. Louis’ ear twitched as he watched.

Louis followed Harry out of the house, watching as the black cat bounced after leaves that were slowly falling from the trees above him. He mentally chuckled as he watched him for a moment. Harry stopped, and turned around, wide cat eyes staring back at Louis before a squirrel running up a tree caught Harry’s attention.

Louis shook his head and walked over to Harry who was sunk down into the grass, his little cat bum wiggling back and forth, “Wait. Don’t bother. He is faster than you are.”

Harry looked over at Louis, “Well, I knew I would be a cat but the instincts come fast.”

Louis agreed, they did come quick and naturally.

“Alright, I was going to tell you everything, just spit it out but maybe instead I can give you a few hours to be a cat? It could be fun. Maybe you can learn to focus a bit better.” 

Harry stood up and stretched his black paws out in front of him, a soft purr at the way his back popped. He could get used to that happening. Louis stood up and walked past Harry, letting his tail brush across Harry’s face as he did and he headed towards the edge of the brick wall that framed Harry’s yard.

“You’re fine. We won’t go far, I promise.’’ Louis mentally spoke, making sure he looked directly into Harry’s green eyes. He couldn’t give him much as far as expressions went.

Just hoping that Harry would trust him. Louis has spent enough time as a cat, he has wandered late at night. He wanted to show Harry what life was like, just let him not worry about anything for just a while. It could be freeing to roam around and slink through yards. Louis decided a while back that the only thing and one thing he would miss was the freeness behind all of this, when it ends. If it ends.

He would miss laying underneath the stars for hours on end as he listened to passing traffic and the wind brushing through the trees. Or laying in the sunlight that poured in through the backdoor when it peaked through the cloudiness above them that seemed to never leave. Louis felt Harry walk up beside him, dipping his paw into the damp grass. He mentally laughed slightly as he watched him raise his paw up and shake it slightly. 

They walked side by side towards the back corner of the yard where it was overgrown with trees. Louis sat down on the wet grass and stretched out onto his side, closing his eyes as he heard Harry sit down beside him. 

“This is where you come? I never thought to look back here. Which, not too sure why I never did.” Harry wrapped his tail around his back paws, behind his front ones and looked up.

He could see up underneath all the branches as the tree limbs cascaded down around them. It was like a whole different world back there, that was why Louis liked it. No matter what it was always dark and quiet and just felt different inside the little area. 

“I have left the yard a few times. I worry about being captured or a vehicle running me over. Most times I lay on the brick wall at night, or come and hide out back here.” Louis rolled over onto his back before getting to his feet and sitting up. 

“Am I an annoying owner?” Harry questioned. 

Louis laughed at that, “No. I think you are a wonderful owner. However, I have no one else to compare you to.”

Harry looked over at him, “Wait. What? What do you mean no one else? I am you’re first owner?”

“Yes. My first and only owner, Harry.” Louis wanted to blurt it all out, but he felt it be best to withhold a little information. Because after all, once again he knew Harry was a cat for a few more hours.

“Harry listen, I will answer any questions you have. Any. Just, be a cat for a bit. Be with me?” He was not sure how he meant the last part. 

Louis was not sure exactly what he was asking of Harry, a twisting in his stomach that he was trying to brush off made itself known and he stood up and walked past Harry before glancing back at him. 

“Okay, what did you have in mind?” Harry asked before walking over to Louis. 

Louis mentally smiled and began to walk with Harry close behind. They wandered around the city, staying close to Harry’s place. They got table scraps from a butcher, which Harry had been very hesitant to try seeing as it was raw meat. Louis had insured him that as a cat they could eat it. So he tried it and was surprised when he liked the flavour. A quirk of being a cat he thought. To which Louis agreed.

Louis took him through a back way leading them both towards the park, his goal destination in mind. Once they got there they wandered through the park towards a bridge that sat over a lake. Harry would remark on all the different smells he could pick out, making a game out of new scents. Once they got to the bridge Louis jumped up onto the old wooden railing of the bridge. Harry had been hesitant and just positive that he would not be able to make the jump. Louis kept insisting and showed him a few times. 

Finally, Harry gave in, jumping up onto the rail of the bridge. He walked it slowly so he could get closer to Louis and sat down. Louis looked over at Harry’s feline profile. He watched as he surveyed the lake out in front of them and the clouds rolling by across the darkening sky. A storm was coming in and he knew they would have to go soon. He knew this would end and Harry would be a human once more. While Louis was still a cat. 

They had been wandering for over an hour, maybe a little longer by the time they ended up where they are at now. Louis just showing Harry different things he’d discovered when he would wander around. Being a cat has helped Louis to realise what he took for granted as a human. As a human he did what he could to help people but as a feline he realised how little he really was helping. He realised he often ignored the simplest things he could have done. Instead, he would walk on, ignoring it and letting it pass him by. 

Letting Harry pass by him, letting him come and go from his life and not even stopping to notice him. Not even once? It made Louis feel like pure and utter shit. A feeling he could not exactly pinpoint as to why, why he cared so much that he had essentially ignored Harry. He brushed it off as that he was the one to find Louis, the one taking care of Louis right now. And that maybe he just felt guilty. 

Louis slowly let his tail brush over Harry’s watching as he kept looking forward, his large round green eyes blinking as the wind blew into his face. Harry’s small pink nose twitched at the air flowing around them, all the scents dancing into his senses. Louis slowly wrapped his white tail around Harry’s long black one, intertwining with it. 

They sat quietly, Harry observing the world around them, two felines with their tails braided into one black and white one. Louis was white with black flecks on his ears, a beautiful angora feline. And surprisingly, so was Harry, only where the white fur is on Louis, it was black on Harry. And on Harry’s ear are three white flecks. They fit, almost like a puzzle piece as they sat together side by side in front of the setting sun and the incoming thunder ahead of them. 

Louis couldn’t find it in him to look away as he looked at Harry. Harry who had just been sitting and watching and taking in everything around them. The scents, the sights. The way Louis’ tail had mixed itself with his own. When Harry looked over at Louis, Louis heard a soft noise. His ear twitched, trying to focus on the sound. It was soft and quiet. Harry was purring. He was purring softly, almost as if he was trying to hide it. 

Louis ducked his head down, looking at his paws on the splintered rail beneath them before looking over at Harry once more. If Louis could, he would absolutely be blushing right now. Harry’s green eyes pierced into Louis’ bright blue ones and Louis heard the purr get slightly louder. Louis hesitantly leaned his head forward and brushed it across Harry’s fur covered neck. 

These emotions would not happen once Harry was a human again. Louis would only feel care and compassion and feline love for his caretaker. Nothing more. He gently nuzzled his pink nose into the black fur and felt Harry lean into it. This was far from fair. Louis knew he was a human, Louis knew what he looked like and what Harry looked like. Harry only knew Louis was a cat. Right now they were both cats. Louis found himself hoping that Harry felt the same pull. 

Louis pulled his tail back and used one of his front paws, batting at Harry’s head quickly before he jumped down. He waited for Harry to jump down also before he took off running towards Harry’s home. Their time was running out and he had to tell him. He had to get it out before it was too late. 

When they got back to Harry’s Louis had ran straight into Harry’s room and up on to his bed. Harry followed close behind, passing Niall who was on the sofa watching Netflix. He spotted them both run through and didn’t give it a second thought. Harry jumped up onto his bed and walked over to Louis who was sitting on the middle of the bed. Harry sat in front of him, letting his eyes wander over his feline features. 

“So, I guess you have some questions?” Louis asked and Harry slowly lowered himself down on to the bed.

Louis followed him, letting their tails flick against each other. 

“Yeah. Yeah I think I do. I just do not know where to start really.” Harry sighed and pushed his paws out in front of him. 

“I think you do. I also think I could just say it all.” 

Harry would shrug if he could, because Louis was right. “You said I was the only owner you have had? How is that so? I assumed you were someone else's familiar.” 

“I have never been anyone's familiar. I was never anyone's before now. You are my first owner.” Louis said, letting his own paws slide out in front of him. 

Their paws touched just slightly, their tails have wrapped up in each other once more. Harry could not understand it and Louis slightly could. They both felt a connection, and both knew there was something underneath the layers that existed. Something was lingering there and while they saw it, they both knew it was there. 

A few beats of silence passed them and Louis closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the soft purr that echoed from inside Harry’s feline body. 

“I was never a cat before you found me, Harry.” 

“What? If not a cat? What then?” Harry questioned. 

Louis opened his eyes as Niall walked in, “H, you have to hurry. Time is almost up.”

Louis watched as Harry looked over at Niall. It happened like a light was switched off. He could no longer feel the pull, the underlying pull that made him want to wrap his tail around Harry’s and stay close to him, listening to him purr. He knew he had to hurry, he had to blurt it out. He fucked up by wasting all their time. By waiting out until last minute.

“Harry, I’m a human. I have always been a human, I was walking home from a friend’s one night and went through an alley. A witch came upon me. Which was why I freaked out when I found out you were a witch. She turned me into a cat. Harry, I’m Louis Tom-” Louis rushed it all out in a hurry, hoping that Harry caught it.

Louis watched as Harry stood up on all four quickly with his feline eyes wide. Harry closed his eyes tightly and meowed low, almost as if he was in pain and Louis knew that the time was up for good. He stood up and left the room, heading out to the yard where he liked to hide just so he could be alone. He felt like it was all for nothing. He had fucked up, he had waited far too long. For his own selfish reasons and only to fail at what had likely been his only chance.

He wasted their time on silly things that he should have just come out and said it earlier. If he could of blurted it out earlier maybe they would of had a chance to talk about how to fix it. Instead he just wanted to spend time with Harry and not worry about everything, he thought he would have enough time. He laid out underneath the trees, looking up as the wind picked up around him and blew through the overgrown greenery. Maybe this would not be so bad. Maybe living life out as a feline would be okay.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so utterly sorry for the delay in posting.

Niall tossed a pair of joggers onto the bed beside Harry, who was currently sitting there with his hands on his bare thighs and his head down. Harry was trying to take a moment to grasp what had just happened. He felt exhausted, fatigue weighing heavily down on him. He grabbed the joggers and began to pull them up. It took Harry a few moments until it all came back to him. Once it did though panic surged through him.

“Niall. Niall oh my god! Turn me back! I have to go back! Niall!” Harry jumped up on unsteady feet and grabbed Niall by the shoulders.

Niall frowned, “H, no. It becomes risky I can’t turn you back... Why? Why do you need me to turn you back? Harry, what happened?”

Harry pushed past Niall in a rush and hurried out of the bedroom. Harry instinctively went through the living area towards the back door. He shoved the sliding glass door open and ran across the grass barefooted. Niall caught up to him as he stopped by a large overgrown tree. 

“Louis! Louis come out.” Harry waited a moment before he tried again.

“Louis Tomlinson!” Niall raised an eyebrow, looking at Harry. 

Louis’ head turned quickly as he heard his name, heard his full name fall from Harry’s lips. He got up and ran out, standing in front of Harry and Niall with wide blue feline eyes. Harry had said his name, Harry had heard him. He was lifted off the ground quickly, likely a little too harshly as Harry carried him into the house and sat him on the sofa. 

“Niall, this is Louis.” Harry pointed at the cat.

Niall nodded, “Yes. I know.” 

“No! Niall, this is Louis. Louis  _ Tomlinson _ . He’s a cat.” Harry repeated, emphasising the last name and Niall just nodded.

“Yeah, I had an idea he may of been. I just wasn’t sure.” Niall sat down on the over-sized chair and Harry blinked at him.

“You what? You had an idea? Why did you not say anything?” 

“Well, one it sounds a bit crazy, even for this world we live in. Two. I did not want to say anything without proof.” Niall said.

Harry ran his hands over his face, “Okay so. How long have you had your suspicion?” 

“Basically I noticed he took to getting a bit vocal and annoying anytime someone talked about Louis. At first I thought oh, maybe that was his name. Like a cat recognising his own name, you know? After a while it kept up, and when Liam would come over he got mopey after a bit. I just assumed, what if he was Louis Tomlinson?” He took a deep breath and looked over at Harry.

“What if something had happened. After you told me about his reaction to you being a witch. I called my Great-Aunt. We got to talking and well, I figured this was the one shot we had at really knowing, you know?” 

Harry nodded a bit, his face going through different emotions as his mind processed everything.

“Alright. Well... Now what do we do?” Harry questioned and looked over at Louis who was cleaning his toes. 

Louis stopped suddenly, feeling the eyes on him. He dropped his leg, looking between Harry and Niall.

“Well, you tell me what happened. We go from there.” Niall stated and Harry nodded again.

“It was like listening through a tunnel. It was echoing and fuzzy. But, he was turned by a witch? He was Louis Tomlinson?” 

“Are you asking or saying? H, you have to know for sure.”

“Saying. He was turned by a witch. I know for sure. And, he  _ is _ Louis Tomlinson.” Harry took a deep breath.

“Positive?” Niall asked. 

Louis meowed and they both looked at him.

“Yes, I am positive. A witch turned Louis Tomlinson into a cat. I found him. I brought him here. He has been trying to tell us all along.” Harry says as he stands up. He runs his hands through his hair, tugging slightly in frustration.

All those hints, all those times that Louis had meowed, hissed, whatever. All of them made so much sense and he had been so blind to it all. He felt stupid. He felt like a huge fool for not seeing what Niall apparently had seen all along. He took a deep breath because no, he knew now. There was no reason to worry because right now, he knew. He knew Louis was a human inside a feline body. Even though he knew, the realisation hit him like a train. 

“Oh my god, Niall! That is Louis Tomlinson! Fuck! We have to tell Liam.” Harry was shouting and Niall stood up and grabbed his arm.

“Harry, calm down. One step at a time. We have to take a deep breath and do nothing right now. I am going to go home and I am going to read over some books. You do the same. I only know how to temporarily turn a person into a cat. We need to figure out how the witch did it and unfortunately, we need to figure out who that witch is.” 

Harry huffed out a puff of air, “Okay”    
  
Niall patted Harry on the shoulder before looking over at Louis. He waved awkwardly at him before grabbing his things and leaving. Harry locked the door behind Niall and looked over at Louis who was still sitting there, just watching him. The air felt thick around him and Harry sighed, walking over to Louis.

“I have no idea what to do, Louis. I am sorry that I didn’t notice all those hints. I really am sorry.” He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to the top of the white feline’s head. A soft purr resonated from the small animal. 

**_____**

The next day Louis woke up to the smell of eggs and for a moment he forgot he was a cat. It had taken him a few moments of waking up and getting up before he remembered and he sighed mentally as he hopped down off of Harry’s bed and wandered into the kitchen where he found Harry. He was standing at the sink washing up dishes he had used, a pan of eggs on a plate on the counter. Louis sniffed at the air and his stomach growled. 

Harry turned around and spotted Louis and he smiled at him. He walked over to the plate and grabbed a fork, pushing some off onto the counter in front of Louis. 

“When I was younger we had a cat, Mum use to sneak her eggs and other random things.” He spoke softly as he chopped the eggs on the counter up into smaller pieces for Louis.

Louis sniffed at them instinctively before he began to eat them. If he could moan he would because they tasted amazing. He and harry ate in silence, Louis on the counter and Harry next to him. 

They spent the day lazily sitting in the living area. Harry was reading through different books and taking notes. They ended up on the sofa after dinner, Louis currently half way on over Harry’s left thigh. Harry had his laptop on his lap and he was still reading over stuff. Hoping to find something, anything to help them out.

The things they knew for sure was Louis had to tell Harry who did it. The problem was, he had no idea how to even began to tell him. He did not even know who it was himself. He remembers her so vividly, he is almost one-hundred percent positive that he could pick her out in a crowd easily. She was unique and he can hear her voice so clearly. 

Harry sighed, shoving his laptop closed and putting it on the table in front of him as Louis got up, arching his back and yawning. Harry lightly scratched at his his back before smoothing down the fur and standing up.

Louis watched as he headed down the hall and into the bathroom. He listened as the shower turned on and hopped down, heading to Harry’s room where he got up on the bed and moved to the pillow he always slept on. Louis curled up, tucking his face into his paws and his tail curling over his eyes. He laid there quietly as he listened to the sounds of the shower and Harry moving about around him before he slowly drifted off. 

There was always tomorrow, and another tomorrow after that. The tomorrows always existed. But how long before Louis couldn’t handle it anymore? Now that Harry knew he was Louis Tomlinson, he wanted this fixed more than ever. He had to have this fixed, he missed himself and his home. He missed his family more than anything. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a note explaining some things at the end of this CH! Thank you to everyone who reads and leaves kudos! I appreciate it. have a good day!!

Louis spent a bit of time sulking by the back door, it had rained all day and he was confined inside. He tried to chance it at one point hoping he could sit just outside the door where it was still covered but the rain that was falling from the metal awning had splashed up at him when it hit the puddle a few feet from him. He had quickly given up and gone back inside. He discovered shortly after that Harry had left his alter room open and that was where he was currently.

Sitting in the bay window which was open, he was able to smell the air blowing in and listen to the rain without the wetness. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to pur. He relaxed and took advantage of the silence and being alone. It’s Twenty after Nine when Louis hears the front door open and close. When he watches Niall come in like a man on a mission. 

Niall walks into the altar room, seemingly oblivious to Louis’ presence as he sets his bag down and goes over to an oversized bookshelf along the wall. His fingers trail the old book spines while he mumbles to himself. Louis watches him closely, his eyes blinking closed slowly. He’s tired, exhausted and he isn’t sure if it’s mental fatigue or if he is truly just tired. 

He jumps when he hears a loud thump and opens his feline eyes to find Niall staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face, Louis would wonder if he was reading his mind if it was not for the fact that he knows Niall avoids things like that. 

“So, I would say that if someone had told me once I would be facing a cat who is actually a human turned into a cat, I would think they were crazy. Only I forget we live in a world of witchcraft and honestly, anything is possible.” Niall says as he turns his back to Louis and opens a large grey book.

The pages have a worn golden edge to them and Louis twitches his nose into the air, he can smell the oldness of the books and he quite likes it. Likes the way they all have the same smell but at the same time, it smells different. Louis was never one for reading, however, he really enjoys the smell of books. He enjoys the smell of Harry’s place if he is honest. It smells like flowers, books, and Harry. To Louis, Harry smells like coconut and vanilla with a hint of spice. 

Niall always smells like a clean shower and a woodsy smell. Louis smiles mentally, remembering how his Mum’s place smelled. A soft flower smell with a hint of cinnamon in the air. It was the result of candles. One of them was almost always burning and carrying its scent throughout the house. 

Louis closes his eyes, if he focuses hard enough he can almost smell his Mum’s home, almost hear her voice and feel her hugs. He can faintly hear his sisters yelling through the house and a dog barking. He swallows back heavily, wondering if cats can show sadness. A hand on his back makes him jump up and he finds Niall there. He looks upset as his hand runs over Louis’ feline spine, running across the knots of his back comfortingly. 

Louis wants to wonder how Niall is aware that he's upset but instead he just closes his eyes and lets Niall pet him. He just gives in to the sadness, letting it overtake him. Since he woke up that morning, Louis has felt different. Felt tired and sad and he’s just going to accept the feeling for now. 

Louis does not know how long he slept for. The only thing he knows is that when he wakes up, Harry and Niall are both in the altar room, looking over a book. Harry laughs loudly, his head falling back with his eyes closed tightly as he puts a hand on his stomach. He slaps his thigh before shoving Niall. Louis misses laughing. He misses annoying Liam and proceeding to laugh at him as he got offended easily. He misses Liam, just sitting with him and watching Friends for what would likely have been the millionth time. 

He misses sitting around, sipping tea with his family. Talking about classes and work, and Lottie and Fizzy’s drama of the week. He wonders who they call now when someone they have an interest in hurts their hearts somehow. Who do they go to at four in the morning when they can’t sleep so they call him? Who comforts his little sisters when they need it? Who spoils his little brother for living in a house full of girls? He misses teasing the twins and playing house with the younger twins. He misses his Mum and Step-Dad, misses her cooking and his banter. 

He misses himself. He misses doing mundane things alone. Ordering a pizza and wasting away on the sofa for the weekend. Walking to work, holding doors for strangers. He misses humans even, the short interactions between him and them. Those fleeting moments when he passes someone and catches a glimpse into their minds, a moment of their thoughts as they wander by him. 

He misses the moments he shouldn’t be able to see, the moments he knows he should cut off his mind from private moments. Sometimes though, those moments are often the most heartbreaking. Stories he tries to piece together. Tries to figure out. 

Little doses of what that person may be going through. Little things he knows are not meant for anyone else. Louis respects people and knows that what goes on in someone’s own mind is for themselves and not for others, so he shut it off, closing off any line between his mind and theirs. However there admittingly have been those few times where he couldn’t help himself. And in those times, in those moments where he’s reading someone’s mind and he realises what is happening is private and heartbreaking. He can’t help but want to help them. Want to reach out and offer something, anything. 

Louis is respectful of his abilities though, and as a rule to himself he for the most part - as in for the last few years -  does not just go digging around inside people’s minds. Most times in the past it was a total stranger and he was on lunch or heading to work that he wanders from mind to mind. But, admittedly there have been moments where he does it with a coworker or classmate because he feels the pull of sadness. So he dug, just a tiny bit. 

Guilt was always something he immediately felt in himself after such a thing. But Louis is good at shutting it off. He has gone weeks, even a few months avoiding people's minds. At this point in Louis’ life, he’d gone so long without using his ability that he all but forgot he had it.  

He remembers now though and his cat eyes widen slightly, mentally questioning for a moment why it took him so long to even remember he could do such a thing. It was something he  _ should _ have remembered long ago. But with everything happening in his life, it was the last thing he remembered. Everything up to this moment had been so hectic to him, he never even thought about trying to communicate with someone. He never stopped to think about this one thing that all along could have possibly fixed this situation long ago? 

He mentally sighed, he could kick himself all he wants but he knows now he has a chance to communicate. Even if it was down the road and something he could've attempted sooner, maybe it was not supposed to happen that way. Maybe he wasn’t meant to remember until now. He can tell himself all the excuses in the world for why he suddenly remembers he can communicate mentally or he could go over to the guys and try to do it.

He jumps off the window ledge and over to Niall and Harry, startling them with his sudden appearance onto the table between them. He’s standing on an open book, his tail swaying behind him. He looks at Harry and tries to focus, tries to concentrate. Only nothing happens. He feels blocked. Almost like he just walked into a wall. Louis sits on the book, and mentally frowns, he’d forgotten for a moment Harry was a witch. 

Witches can and often do keep spells upon themselves to keep someone from reading their thoughts. He also wonders though if he is unable to use his ability as a feline. 

Louis can read people's minds and while he has never done it - outside of the one time as a child when he wanted a chocolate bar and his Mum had kept telling him no. She’d caught on quickly to what he did when she got home, realising she had okayed the chocolate bar. - to anyone, he can alter their minds. And he thinks, hopes maybe he can use that to his advantage in letting Harry know what the witch looked like. Telling him what she said and what happened because it is a whole lot more than what they have and to Louis, anything is better than being quiet. 

Louis looks over at Niall, he tries on him and has the same resistance. All he sees is white and he feels as if someone is literally pushing him away. Niall frowns at him, leaning down to his level and squints his eyes. His face is sharp and Louis can almost hear the wheels turning. Niall’s eyes widen and he stands up abruptly.

“We have to call Liam, we need to tell him this is Louis.” Louis watched as Niall moved to pull his phone out of his back pocket.

Harry stopped him with a hand on his arm, “I thought we agreed to wait?”

Niall nodded, “I know. But I really think we need to tell him. Louis was just doing something. I can’t figure out what. But he was doing something. I think we need to talk to Liam.”

Harry raised an eyebrow and looked at Louis, he glanced at Niall before shrugging, “Alright. But you know he’s going to freak out right? I mean this is his best friend. He won’t take this well at all.”

Harry was right. Louis could see it now. Liam would not take it well at all. There would likely be yelling and pacing and then a calm acceptance that was almost too calm. Louis made a note to be sure to be in the same room when it happened. 

He watched Niall as he pulled his phone to his ear and left the room. He looked over at Harry who was leaning down on the table, eye level to Louis. His eyebrows narrowed and he levelled Louis with a look. He reached out and tapped him on the nose with a soft thump and Louis pulled his head back. 

“Whatever is going on inside of that little head of yours, I hope Niall is onto something.” Harry says before he stands up.

Harry runs a hand between Louis’ ears and down to his small shoulders and scratching lightly and Louis closes his eyes contently for a moment, opening them when Harry moves away and goes across the room. He watches Harry as he busies himself cleaning up some flowers he’d been crushing and bottling when Niall comes back into the room.

“Alright, so Liam said he’d come over for dinner tomorrow night. I’ll come over after work and bring pizza.” 

Harry nods at Niall, “Sounds good. I’ll bring the cat.” 

Niall walks over to his bag and grabs a book and shoves it in his bag, “I’ll also keep reading this tonight. I have a meeting early in the morning though, so I should head out.” 

“Sounds good. If he moves his furry arse I’ll keep reading also.” Harry responds as he grabs a broom and starts to sweep up around the table of flowers. 

Louis watches as Niall leaves and Harry cleans up around the altar room. Humming to himself and keeping busy before he leaves the room, heading into the bathroom. He dozes on the large open book while Harry is in the shower and wakes up slowly when he feels two hands lift him up. He is carried out of the room and into Harry’s bedroom and sat gently on the bed. Louis walks over to the pillow, to what he has dubbed  _ his _ pillow now, and lays down, curling his tail over his eyes as he listens to Harry locking his altar room and walking towards the living area. He lays there listening to Harry do whatever he is doing around the house as he slowly drifts off to sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I gave Louis some abilities.   
> I wasn't thinking honestly when I did it. And so that is why it happened now and not earlier. I tried to explain it wasn't something he supported using and due to him not using it, that would be why he didn't really think about attempting to use it. I went back and added it to CH 1 as a mention so anyone starting will know. But I also again try to explain he isn't supportive of having such an ability. Am I making sense? I hope so. Anyway... Sorry for slow updates life is busy.


	11. Chapter 11

“He  _ what _ ?!” Liam shouted, eyes wide and hands in the air.

He dropped his hands to his sides before running a hand over his face and groaning.

Louis was currently sat on the bar behind him, watching closely. Harry had decided it might be best for Liam  if Louis was not in the room when they told him everything. But Louis didn’t want to miss this moment.  

“Let me get this right. Louis,  _ Louis  _ is a cat? A fucking cat? A cat?” He blinked at Niall, looking very confused as he slowly sat back down.

“Yes. Louis is a cat.” Niall stated simply. 

Harry was listening but he spotted Louis sitting on the bar, so his eyes shifted between Louis and Liam. Niall drew his attention back to Liam and took a deep breath.

They sat down, had dinner and just relaxed. They had all been busy and just needed time to not think about everything. Eventually Harry decided they needed to tell Liam. 

Finally, when Liam said he should head on home soon, Niall had agreed that they should tell him. So they did. Harry wanted to do it gently. Explain things first and easily for Liam. However, Niall beat him to the punch and just blurted it out. After almost fifteen minutes of silence from Liam, he stood up and paced in front of the sofa for a moment before he said anything.

Louis spotted Harry’s eyes on him and he slowly stood up to go back into the kitchen. Harry shook his head at Louis before subtly waving him over. 

“How the ever living fuck can Louis, a human being, suddenly be a bloody cat? Please someone tell me how this is possible?”  Liam looked between Harry and Niall. 

“Well. Witches.” Niall responded as he took a swig of his beer.

Liam blinked at Niall, frowning before he spoke, “You say that as if it’s nothing.”  he clipped.

Niall shook his head, “It is. It literally is that simple, Liam. Okay? I know this is weird as fuck to you-”

“I’ll say. He’s been missing and now, now you are sitting here telling me he is a god damn cat, Niall. While Harry just sits there looking past me. Not even speaking.” Liam interrupted, grabbing his beer, spilling some over the edge of the glass.

Niall took a deep breath, “I know this is weird as fuck to you but you have to relax. We have known for a while and waited to tell you because you have so much on your plate. What would you have done anyhow? You’d only know he was here.’’

“I am sorry, Niall. I fail to see the problem? At least I would of fucking known where he was. Instead, I was busy stressing and worrying about him. I fucking drank myself to sleep some nights because I thought that Louis was dead. So yes, Niall. It would've been better for me to know.’’ Liam ran one of his hands over his jean clad thighs and let out a shaky breath. 

Louis sat up straighter, mentally frowning. He wanted to rush over and hug Liam. He had no idea he was that worried. He had no idea that someone cared that much about him. He knew he was cared about, but he had no clue just how much he was cared for.

“Can this be fixed?” Liam asked, putting his beer back on the coffee table.

A short and simple question. One Louis knew would come as he slowly slinked around the sofa to Harry. He slid himself behind Harry’s legs where he was sitting on the coffee table, facing Liam. Harry reached down, running his hand over Louis’ tail as Louis hid behind his legs. 

Harry hesitantly opened his mouth, “Liam, we know this has to be very bloody hard on you, and I am so, so sorry that we waited to tell you. If either Niall or I, honestly thought it would of done something to tell you sooner we would have told you. I am sorry that we didn’t.” 

Liam glanced at Harry and nodded slightly, but said nothing, instead just looking down at the floor between his feet. 

So Harry continued on, “We may not know him like you do, but we know him. We have been trying to find a way to fix this. The other day, we were all in my altar room. Niall and I, we’ve been reading over some books hoping that we could find an answer. We kept going in circles and Louis came over and got on the book and was staring at me. After a moment he proceeded to do the same to Niall.” 

Niall picked up where Harry had left off, pulling Liam’s attention to him. “I felt like he was doing something, I can’t explain it to be honest. I have no idea how to even try to. All I know is that I really felt that I needed to talk to you. And I figured any question I had to ask you, it be easier if you knew that Louis is Harry’s cat.” Niall looked over Liam’s expression, trying to read him. 

Liam was relaxing, slowly accepting what he was being told and the anger left him. He took a deep breath and looked at Harry. Something caught his attention and he looked down, spotting the triangle of a white ear hiding behind Harry’s leg. Louis peeked out slightly, half his eye becoming visible and looked at Liam. Watching as his face went from one emotion to another. Liam took a deep breath and let it out heavily before standing. It felt like too much all of a sudden and Louis could tell. He could read Liam’s face like a book.

“I really need a moment. I’ll be back” He waved off Niall and Harry, heading out the backdoor. 

“Lou, I think you should go to Liam.” Harry said, looking down at Louis.

Louis mewed, hesitating. He didn’t want to make Liam feel uncomfortable and the look on his face was one he would be happy to never see again. Harry nudged Louis away from him so Louis mentally sighed and headed to the back door. He hesitantly peered out into the dark, spotting a dark form sitting at the edge of the patio. Louis slowly slinked over towards Liam before coming to a stop beside him. He took a breath and gently bumped his head against Liam’s arm. Liam looked to his left, spotting Louis sitting there and stared at him. 

Liam’s face was unreadable to Louis, he blinked his blue eyes up at him, wanting to hug him, wanting to say so much. Yet all he could do was sit there, and wait. They sat there silently for a few moments before Liam sighed and looked up at the dark sky, thousands of stars showing on a rare clear night. Louis watched his profile in the dark before Liam looked down at him.

“You know when we are young, and we get told that we can do whatever we want? Louis, I think you took it a tad far.” 

Louis would laugh if he could. He can’t so he meows softly. He relaxes when Liam touches the top of his head, carefully petting him. Louis can sense the hesitation, but this is better than nothing. He really missed Liam. And for now this will have to do. 

Liam smiled slightly, “I was so scared. I seriously began to think you were dead. I had fucking nightmares about you. It was killing me, I stopped sleeping. I had to be pissed before I could even think of going to bed. And now I find out that this whole time you were right here. So many things make sense now.” 

They sat there quietly, while Liam let everything soak in. Louis looked up at the night sky, clear for once with thousands of stars shining above them. He heard Liam get up off the ground. 

Liam glanced down at him as he wiped dirt off the back of his jeans, “I am so confused. But, they have me here for a reason so. I guess I should go back in.” 

Louis meowed at him before nudging Liam’s calf. He couldn’t do much, but he could do something so he did. He turned, heading back inside with Liam behind him. 

Harry and Niall were both sitting in the living area. Harry had moved to the sofa with his feet tucked under him. Liam walked over and sat down at the other end and Louis hopped up, sitting in the small space between Harry’s thigh and calves. It was a tight fit but he enjoyed it. He quietly began to purr as Harry slowly traced a finger up and down the back of his head. 

“Okay. So, what did you need me here for?” Liam asked, looking at Niall. 

Niall leaned forward with his arms on his knees, “Alright so. You know how the majority of the population are some form of witch? And, how there are some who have abilities. Like forms of telepathy, intuitions, enhanced memory and whatever. People go around casting spells on everything and everyone. People like to ig--”   
  
“Niall, What are you on about? Get to the point, please?” Liam interrupted. 

“Right. So, Louis. Does he have any uhm, abilities?” Niall looks at Liam.

Louis perks his ears up, he looks over at Liam. Because yes, yes he does and he told Liam about it. He is one of the only people outside of his immediate family who even knows about his ability. 

Liam frowns, blinking as he thinks and Louis watches him before he gets up and walks over to Liam, he meows at him until he looks at him and Louis wants to scream. He has never been able to read Liam’s thoughts or even try to manipulate them. Liam suddenly straightens up and points at Louis.

“Telepathy. He has telepathy. He can control it though. He can uhm. Do stuff, like…” He trails off trying to find the words.

“Stuff? As in he can do more than just see people’s thoughts?” Harry questions this time. 

Liam nods excitedly, “Yes. Yes, he can-”

This time it is Niall who interrupts and his eyes widen and he points a finger at Liam, “Manipulate. Which means he can communicate.”   
  
Liam nods at him and shouts, “Yes!” and Niall smiles.

“Holy shit. He was trying to do that, I knew it. I bloody well knew it!” Niall stands up and looks at Louis.

“How did you know?” Harry asks, glancing at Louis.

“Because, you put that spell on us. But you said sometimes you can feel when someone is attempting to get inside your head, so you did one stronger. But you didn’t on me. And he was staring at us and I felt like someone was poking at my brain.” 

Louis meowed, loudly. He stood up and meowed again before going over to Niall and rubbing on his legs. Because, yes. That was exactly what he had been trying to do. And they figured it out and he had to make sure they knew it. He needed them to understand because now, now that they did know. They could undo it and let him in. 

Louis was excited. He ran over to Harry meowing and licked his chin. Maybe Louis was too excited. He quickly backed away and sat down, realising he’d just licked Harry. Harry chuckled and ran his hand over his back before turning his attention to Niall. 

“So now?” Harry spoke.

“Now, we find a way to undo these spells. Or at least mine. I need to let him in.” Niall responded before sitting back down.

“Why not let him do it to Liam?” Harry looked at Liam in question. 

Liam shook his head, “No one can read my mind or communicate with me. It’s been this way all my life. Which, I am really happy for. He’s tried many times which is why I know at all. He doesn’t discuss it because he has learned to control it so well. He thought something was wrong with him.” 

Harry nodded looking over at Louis. Louis was smiling widely. Well, he was mentally at least. This was big and he was happy. He was very happy right now. 

The conversation went on that way for a little while longer, discussing little things here and there about Louis’ ability. Luckily for Louis he’d all but told Liam everything about his ability one night and now Liam was telling Harry and Niall. Which was good. Eventually Liam left, hesitantly petting Louis before he did.

Niall parted as well, telling Harry he would look into a reversal spell for himself so Harry wouldn’t have to mess with his. Figuring it may be easier if he just did it. But Harry wanted his reversed also because he was around Louis the most, he thought it made more sense. So they both agreed to find reversal spells and both would end their current spells that blocked Louis from getting into their heads. 

Louis hoped that this was the first of many things leading to him becoming human once more. 


	12. Chapter 12

Louis came in from the garden a couple days later to Niall and Harry bickering. He listened to them go back and forth before he was able to figure out that they may have a slight problem. At least with Niall. In short, the problem was not that Niall could not undo the spell Harry had done on him to protect him from anyone reading or attempting to manipulate his mind. 

It was that Niall didn’t want to. He had cold feet after having had this spell on him for so many years now. He was blatantly refusing to allow it to come off. 

Amongst his research he’d gotten curious and proceeded to find forums with people's experiences with having their thoughts altered, or having someone read their thoughts. He wanted nothing of it. He refused to have that risk. 

Harry had informed Niall that if he had looked correctly, he would be very aware that those who have the same abilities as Louis were far and few. Louis having the capability to do what he could was a rare thing. Niall had not been convinced and now, here they were. Louis was watching them as Niall paced back and forth pleading with Harry to not do anything to him. He wanted his mind blocked. After about an hour and half or to Louis, much, much longer than that. Harry gave in. He would not do anything to Niall’s spell, he would not even look for a way to reverse it. 

Niall trusted Harry, he was his best friend, like a brother to him. He knew Harry meant well and in the end he also had admitted to feeling selfish but Louis understood. He rubbed against Niall afterwards trying to express that he was not upset by it, and he got it. He truly did get it. He did not need Niall’s mind open anyways as long as he had Harry’s mind. If this even worked. He needed it to work.

Harry and Niall both proceeded in figuring out a reversal, eventually finding one. Harry had written a copy of it down and given it to Niall to run it by his Great-Aunt. He left and rang her the next morning and told her everything. She found it a bit amusing but eventually had said that it all should work if done correctly. Niall returned to Harry’s relaying everything as Louis watched and listened closely and nibbled some fish that Harry was sharing with him.

Niall scrunched up his nose at them before sitting down on the over-sized chair.

“Alright here is the deal. I rang me Auntie and she said it should all work. However it is very precise and you have to follow the instructions. She also thinks you two need to do a linking spell, just to insure he can communicate with you. You can do a temporary one that will wear off.” 

Harry nodded as he wiped his hands off on the sofa seat, “Right. So, I guess we do this.” He looked over at Louis. 

He’d not had anyone able to read his mind in years and knowing now that Louis possibly had the capability to do it was kind of scaring him at the moment. But Harry knew it had to be done. 

“Okay, I will get the supplies and bring them by before work tomorrow.” Niall said and Harry agreed. 

Louis hopped down and wandered down the hall to the bedroom and headed in, hopping up onto the bed. He laid down on his pillow and curled up, laying his tail over his eyes and mentally sighed. It felt like in the beginning that everything was going so slow. And now, now everything felt like it was moving so fast. One moment they have no idea who he was and now they are so close to fixing this. 

Soon - hopefully at least- Louis would be a human again. Back to his life, back to his own self and his own life. Able to see his family who he missed so much. Back to being Louis Tomlinson instead of Louis the cat. 

And deep down he felt unsettled by it all, because he knew that eventually things would go back to how they use to. Harry would be the person he was before Louis found him and Louis would be back, living in his own flat. He would not be owned by Harry any longer. He will no longer be a cat. He’d have to leave the environment he was use to. He’d have to start sleeping alone and lose the comfort of the soft airy breaths of Harry sleeping beside him. 

His stomach twisted as Louis thought over everything, over all of it. A sinking feeling that he knew had existed slowly slid to the surface and he forced it away. No, he had to let this happen because he owed it to everyone for him to go back to being human. Owed it especially to his family and Liam. He owed it to Harry to get his own life back, his home back. 

But, Louis was slowly not wanting that, he was enjoying his time with Harry and he worried that once he became human again it would change and go back to how it was before. He had a fear that things would go back to how they once were, back before he knew Harry. However, deep down Louis knew that it likely was not going to. He knew deep down Harry would not let it go back to the way it was. Not after all of this. 

Louis had drifted off to sleep not long after he forced his thoughts from running away on him and was woken when Harry entered the room and climbed into bed. Louis blinked sleepily into the dark, slowly focusing in on Harry’s face. He was facing Louis, laying on his side and he lifted a hand and slowly dragged a finger up the bridge of Louis’ nose. Louis forced his eyes to stay open as Harry’s finger slid between his eyes and over the top of his head. His large palm running down his neck to his back. Harry slowly drew his hand back up to Louis’ head. 

He dragged two fingers down the side of Louis’ neck towards Louis’ small chin and scratched lightly, smiling when Louis began to purr. Louis saw a hint of a smile playing on Harry’s lips and he closed his eyes, letting himself relax. 

xx

_ Louis walked down the long hallway alone, glancing over his shoulder as he did. It was empty and dark and he had no idea where he was going or why he was walking down the hall. Just an impulse to walk had lead him here. He was walking towards a closed door at the far end, with light framing the edges. The light seemed so bright compared to the darkness of the hall. Which was only lit by flickering candles, a few blowing out as he passed by them.  _

_ He glanced back behind him once more, running his hands over the smooth fabric of his black trouser pant. His palms were sweat dampened from nerves. Nerves he had no idea where they came from. He moved closer to the door, the light seems to brighten as he draws nearer. When he is finally in front of the door he hesitantly reaches out for the old round door knob, slowly turning it and pushing it open with a heavy creak of the hinges. _

_ The room is not how he had expected it when he was making his approach. The bright light is far less bright than he had expected. Candles littering the room, maybe a couple dozen or so. He momentarily wondered if whoever had placed them there had intended on a sacrifice with the amount of candles that appeared before him. He was pulled from his thoughts by a voice clearing across the room and he looked towards the bay window to find someone, a male dressed in a nice deep blue suit, a white ruffled collared shirt on.  _

_ Louis moved closer towards him, noticing the golden mask that was upon his face. It covered the entire left side down to his chin and was broken away in jagged edges from the cheekbone to his jawline on the right. It had swirls etched into it, the colour of his pale skin visible throughout it. Despite the openness of the mask Louis could not place the man before him. His hair was pulled back, a few strays curling on either side of his head, framing his masked face.  _

_ It was at that moment that Louis realised his own face was covered. As if he knew already, he glanced over to his right and spotted a large oval mirror, seeing his own reflection, he pulled his hand to his face, running his fingers over the deep red velvet of the feline mask on his face. Black swirls of velvet with specks of silver filled the ears and formed the shape of the feline’s nose. Louis looked down noticing his suit, black with matching black velvet flowers over the coat, a deep red shirt underneath the jacket.  _

_ His drew his attention back to the person and moved forward, the male holding a hand out to him and he took it, feeling the warmth of the man’s hand enclosed in his own, pulling him closer. He could see the corner of his lips pull into a smile and Louis took a steady breath as a hand rested on the small of his back, bringing their bodies together. His eyes drifted shut as the distant music in the main room, down the long hall, echoed quietly into the room they were in.  _

_ Louis felt warm air brush across his skin, sending shivers down his spine as the breath was replaced by the touch of lips that ghosted across his skin towards his ear. He felt the slightest of touch of the man’s lips against his ear as a warmth breath fell across his skin. He could feel the other male’s chest rise and fall with every breath he took. He swore he could feel his heart against his. The soft, slow beat, opposite of Louis’ own heartbeat.  _

_ His heart was beating at a faster pace, his breathing quicker as he mentally tried to calm his mind. The man was speaking to him, but Louis heard nothing. He just felt the ghost of air across his ear and he opened his eyes, pulling away and moving a hand towards the uncovered part of the man’s face. Fingers dug into the small of Louis’ back as his eyes drifted across the mask, tracing every laser cut detail on the gold that covered the majority of the man’s face.  _

_ His eyes fell onto his lips. Louis licked his own before letting out a breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding and slowly leaning in, letting his lips  softly brush across the other man’s. His own chapped lips brushing the softness of the other’s.  _

_ Louis took a deep breath, a woodsy scent invading his senses as he pressed closer, letting their lips touch. They fit perfectly, slotting together as they tilted their heads in opposite directions as a hand fell on top of his, pulling away from the man’s cheek and their fingers entwined as their kiss deepened. A soft moan drifted out of Louis’ lips as a tongue pushed against his, asking to be let in. He opened his mouth and sighed, squeezing the man’s hand in his.  _

_ The smell of candles burning out, lifted into the air as candles slowly went out, one by one. Leaving the two men in darkness, save for one candle behind Louis on a window sill.  The candle casted their shadows on the opposite wall, two masked men entwined in each other’s arms and lips. Tongues dancing over each other as their breathing picked up pace.  _

_ Another moan fell from Louis’ lips and his mask bumped across the person’s mask and he pulled back. He put his hands on the lapels of the deep blue suit jacket, fisting his hands against the other person’s chest as he tilted his head up just slightly. Louis looked into green eyes that peered back from behind a half mask. Louis removed the mask from his face, letting it drop to the floor with a heavy thud. Their eyes were locked on each other, and to Louis it felt like the man was peering deeply down into his soul, into his heart and mind.  _

_ Louis reached for the edge of the golden mask, letting his fingers lightly circle the intricate laser cut design. Slowly, he dragged a finger along the edges of the jagged cut off side, the man closed his eyes as Louis traced it. Louis gripped the bottom of the man’s mask and slowly pulled it away, letting it settle atop the man’s head.  _

_ The door flew open and something pulled Louis roughly, dragging him out of the room with a strong force. Before he knew it, he was at the opposite end of the hall, the door to the room he was once in slamming shut in front of him. The force was so heavy it vibrated the long walls around Louis.  _

xx

Louis’ eyes shot open and he glanced around the dark room. He was facing the window, a curtain pulled back slightly letting the moon’s bright light cast down onto the bed and the room before it. Louis stood up slowly, sleep still filling his small feline body and he looked over at Harry. His face was soft, with no expression on his sleeping face. 

With small hesitant steps, he walked across Harry’s sleeping form and exited the bedroom. He slinked quietly down the hall and into the living room, making an exit through the sliding glass door. He stepped out onto the damp grass, a small rainfall having made its way through hours ago and crept across the yard towards a small hole in the wooden gate on the side of the house. Louis walked between the small gap of two homes as he headed through the front yard and towards the street. 

He looked over at Harry’s home before setting off. His body gently bounced with each step he took. He did not know where he was going, he just knew he needed to go. Go somewhere that was not Harry’s. Somewhere that did not surround him in Harry. 

Louis walked down the paved path in front of him, slowly and surely as if he knew where he was going. He walked as the sun rose. The city faded behind him as he kept  walking onward, unsure of where he was headed. The sun slowly hovered above him as people moved around him. The city faded and the country appeared. The pavement he’d been walking on turned from streets to green fields that surrounded him. Louis walked onward as a new city came and went, as his tiny paws began to burn from his long trek. His body began to fight him for a break but  he forced himself onward. 

Slowly the sun had moved across the sky and was slowly setting, darkness casting around Louis and the stars began to shine, one by one above him. As he walked, and walked, his body ached, his mouth was dry. His steps were repetitive, and his movements felt forced. 

He slowed his steady pace as he approached a road that lead up a small hill towards a large grey house. He slowly walked up the winding road, a slow pace in his steps as he approached the four stairs to the porch. A woman was sitting on a wooden swing, the chains creaking as she pushed with her feet. A large woven pink throw was wrapped around her petite frame as she looked up at the bright, clear sky. She counted each star, one by one, making wishes upon the constellations that danced above her. Her long brown hair cascaded over the throw. She blinked once, twice, before she looked out in front of her at the empty drive. When she drew her eyes over to Louis, her eyes widened. 

She sobbed out, jumping to her feet towards him, dropping to her knees as she grabbed him up roughly. She pulled him into her chest, sobbing into his fur. Her loud sobs broke through the thick brick walls and the heavy wooden door swung open, a man approached her in a rush, wrapping his arms around her as another woman followed close behind. 

Louis was _ home _ . 

Louis was lying curled up in the lap of one of his sisters, her long pointed nails drawing little circles in his fur. Her foot pushed the rocking chair back and forth, rocking them both gently. A large three wick candle burned in the corner, dusting the room with the smell of apples. The smell of home. His eyes were closed as he purred quietly, contently. His quietness was a welcomed thing after the almost chaotic moments following his sister, Fizzy’s discovery of him on the porch. After she broke down and brought his Stepfather and other sister out front to find her with her body wrapped around a small white cat with sharp blue eyes. 

“It’s Louis.” She had sobbed out in a heavy breath, tears rushing down her cheeks and her voice thick with cries. 

Lottie stood up abruptly, laughing sharply like she had grown another head. Fizzy had demanded it was him, telling her she sensed him. Their Stepfather had taken Louis from her and taken him inside setting Louis on the round dining table. Louis peered into the eyes of the older man, wrinkles at the outer corners of his eyes as the man looked back. They stayed that way for a moment before it happened.

Before Louis could feel it, could feel him inside his mind. He could hear his voice and Louis mentally cried out. His Stepfather's confirmation was all anyone needed. Louis was given water and some scraps leftover from dinner before Dan sat down with him, and asked him what felt like thousands of questions. After a couple of hours of talking, Dan was now aware of everything. And he handed Louis over to one of his sisters and that was where he was now. 

Louis feels awful for not going to his family sooner. However, the fear that he would be rejected, the embarrassment that what had happened to him was heavy in him. He didn’t want them to see him this way. To see the mess he’d got himself into. Only now this was what he really needed. To be home and be with his family. He didn’t care if he was judged or frowned at for getting himself into this mess. He just wanted to be home.

He was in Fizzy’s lap being loved on. He was home, home and safe. He was still a cat, but at this very moment he would be hard pressed to actually care about any of that. Everyone went to sleep and he laid there still in his sister’s lap as she hummed a familiar lullaby to him, lulling him to sleep. 

The next morning when he was awoken by the normal early morning chaos of his family home, he realised how bad his body hurt as he stood on all four small paws. They ached and burned and he sat down, giving up quickly, pulling a front paw up to lick at the skin on the bottom instinctively. He could hear his Mum’s voice in the distance and his heart clenched. He only was allowed a moment of that emotion before two small hands grabbed him and pulled him onto a lap. 

“Dan has rang Liam to let him know we have you. Liam insisted someone return you to where you’d been staying. Dan agreed and said if a witch did this to you, she obviously is not a nice one and he does not want to risk harm to any of us. He fears if you communicate with him or I, and tell us about the witch that it would bring harm. So he feels it is safer for you to be where you were. Safer for all of us. But, I just got you back, Lou. I don’t want you to go yet.” Lottie sniffed, holding back tears and Louis sat up and nudged his head against her chin.

She smiled softly and nodded. She could hear him, hear him tell her Dan was right and she knew he was right. It was a risk Louis would refuse to take. A risk he had not thought of. A risk he would not take. So he agreed, telling Lottie mentally that it was alright, that Dan was right. He would go back willingly. He got to stay for another twenty-four hours and be surrounded in his family, in his home. 

When the time came for him to go, everyone scratched his head, the younger twins not being able to understand just wished a kitten farewell and went back to their toys. Louis, whose feet were still aching was carried closely against his sister’s chest. Her flowery perfume was overwhelmingly strong, like always, as she got into a car and closed the door.  

The drive back was faster than he would have preferred. Liam texted Dan the address to Harry’s place and before Louis knew it, he was being handed off with bittersweet goodbyes, and see you later. There were mental promises that he would see them again soon, once he was human again. 


	13. Chapter 13

Louis awoke later that day on the sofa alone. He glanced around the empty, quiet living area. His pink nose twitched as he sniffed the air, drawing different smells in. It was a heavy smell, like burning wood and behind it was a soft petal smell, like roses. He slowly stood up, his four thin limbs still aching heavily as he slowly slinked down off the sofa and stretched. His feline back popping as he did. A tiny yawn escaped from his mouth and he blinked a few times, shaking his head before moving towards the smell. 

The scent grew stronger as he walked down the short hallway towards Harry’s altar room and upon approaching the door that was cracked open slightly, he saw wisps of smoke slowly drifting through the thin crack. The smell was strong and he hoped Harry had a window open because Louis’ own eyes had began to burn. He nudged the door open with his head and peered in cautiously. His eyes scanned the room, finding Harry with his back to the door. 

He was humming to himself as he stood at a table in the corner of the room. Louis looked around, spotting a glass pot boiling with flower petals on a small electric burner. Louis tried to find the smoke he saw drifting out just a few moments ago. 

Louis mentally frowned, seeing no signs of anything that could've caused the smell or the smoke. He hesitantly slinked into the room in long strides, moving underneath a chair in the corner to his right and sat there, watching Harry as he turned around with a a snuffed out large bundle of sage  in his hand. Leftover smoke wisped into the air from a few red ends of the sage. Louis sniffed at the air as Harry walked past him, setting the sage on a metal plate. Louis jumped when Harry crouched down in front of the chair and peered underneath it, at eye level with Louis. 

Louis blinked at him before scooting back hesitantly, a small smile twisted on Harry’s lips as he held a hand out, two fingers extended. Louis leaned forward slightly, instinctively sniffing Harry before he moved forward. He passed his hand and Harry, walking towards a table and jumping up on it, moving towards the bay window edge to sit where he always sat. Harry watched him and Louis could feel his eyes heavily on him. He looked over, watching Harry’s green eyes blink back before he went over to the corner of the room and picked up a mug. 

Louis watched, only slightly interested as Harry spoke quietly to himself before drinking the contents of the mug. He groaned in disgust and  his shoulders shuddered as he sat the mug back down. Louis wondered if it always tasted bad to drink stuff for spells. He had assumed with all the herbs Harry would use in his own spells that they would taste like a bitter tea. Louis liked his tea bitter. Louis missed his tea, missed his mornings with a cigarette in one hand and warm cuppa in the other as the chilling fall air flowed around him in the early mornings on his Mum’s patio. 

He closed his eyes, feeling the air drift around him. He inhaled, almost able to smell the wood and pine once more with the scent of tea drifting up from his warm mug. He could almost taste the cigarette on his tongue, almost taste the bitter tea from his mug. Louis opened his eyes with a mental sigh and looked down at his paws, slouching down into what Harry had dubbed the bread loaf position and a small huff of air exhaled from his pink nose. 

He looked over at Harry who was cleaning up now, scraping spare herbs into a trash bin and putting things away. A soft hum drifting into the open air of the room. Louis would smile if he could. The little habits of Harry were pleasing to him, the small things he did to busy himself when waiting for something to happen.

Louis could watch Harry move around a room for days on end with no complaints. Harry and his soft humming, it was such a thing that Louis had grown fond of. It was something Louis would miss when it was all over.

“Lou?” Harry’s voice interrupted Louis from his thoughts.

He glanced over at the door, finding Harry standing there. Louis meowed and hopped down, exiting the room as he walked past Harry. He wandered into the living area and got up on the sofa. He could hear Harry walking into the bedroom and stopped listening, instead taking in the quietness of the house. Aside from Harry in the bedroom, it was so quiet. It reminded Louis of the times he would stay home from school, once everyone was gone. 

It was almost as if everything was still. It reminds him of a foggy winter morning, the heat not even running but the house was still warm, being underneath his blankets as he laid quietly listening to the nothing around him. 

“So, it’s almost Halloween. Do you like Halloween, Louis?” Harry sat down with a pair of boots in hand and Louis startled. 

Louis looked at Harry wide eyed and mentally frowned. He has no idea when he turned into being so contemplative. He remembered Harry had spoken to him, asked him a question and he blinked a few times before looking at him. Trying to figure out how Harry had expected Louis to respond to him. Louis meowed, because why not? He did enjoy Halloween; the parties, the scary stories. Louis did not get scared easily, but he did enjoy the haunted houses he and his mates would go to. 

There was this anxiousness Louis always felt when waiting in a long line for a haunted house. He felt it while hearing the random screams as people walked through them. 

Louis also enjoyed the pumpkin carving, though he might not be the best artist, he always had a lot of fun.. He quite enjoyed seeing his masterpiece in the morning with amusement and maybe a little bit of embarrassment. 

“I thought maybe I would run to the market, get some pumpkins? I don’t know. I know that maybe until things begin to work, a little normalcy around here would be good? There is only so much as far as normal I can provide, what with you… being a cat. Sorry.” Harry looked at his hands, his thumbs twiddling and Louis mentally chuckled.

It was fine with him, he liked the idea. He rubbed his head against Harry’s upper arm and meows quietly. 

“I will always find it a bit weird that we took a day that the Celts thought  ghosts of their dead ancestors, or whatever, would revisit our world and so they built huge bonfires within each village in order to ward off any evil spirits that may also be out and turned it into candy and parties. Even with all the family lines of witches. My Great Nan disliked Halloween, telling us we needed to learn its true meaning. Mum would tell her to let the kids be kids. There was no harm in it.” Harry spoke as he pulled his boots on. 

Louis listened, mentally nodding as he watched him. He watched Harry stood up, stretching with his arms over his head. His shirt rode up, two tattoos showing on either side of his hips. Louis’ eyes scanned over the dark inks of leaves etched into his skin and turned his head away. 

“Well, I will be back in a few. And.. hopefully everything works out!” Harry clapped his hands together, causing Louis to jump slightly. 

Louis watched him, mentally frowning. Hopefully what works out? He questioned as Harry left and he looked over at the front door. Louis mentally shrugged and hopped down, walking towards the bedroom. He would sleep the next few hours away because what else was there for him to do? Besides, he felt after everything he owed it to himself to be lazy, he was a cat after all. Didn’t cats sleep eighteen hours a day or something? 

This time, when Louis got up on the bed, instead of going to his pillow he walked  to Harry’s. He kneaded his tiny claws into the thick black pillow case, the feathery filling moving beneath the pressure as he loudly purred before circling once, twice, and lying down. He tucked his face into the bottom of his paw, inhaling heavily and smelling the lingering scent of Harry’s shampoo, of his cologne and of him. 

Louis drifted in and out of sleep, waking to sirens passing or horns honking out front. He woke a few times and stood up to stretch before curling in on himself once more, noticing the sun from the open window slowly drifting across the room, painting it in different hues. Louis noticed that a few hours turned into four, then five and before long night fell over them and the room was painted in darkness. 

The house was still silent and Louis felt unsettled because Harry was not home. He felt it was not his right to worry if Harry was home or not, because he was just a cat. Once he was no longer a cat, he would just be Louis. 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics for conversation

Louis stretched his paws out the next morning, tiny white, clear claws scratching at the silk fabric beneath him. He glanced around bleary eyed into the dark room, the shades now drawn as he sniffed at the air. He could smell coffee and food, slowly standing up and hopping off the bed to the cold wooden floor and walked down the hall. He found Niall and Harry sitting on the sofa, idle chatter between the two of them as he headed out the back door. 

When Louis came back inside he headed towards the oversized chair, tucking his paws beneath his body to warm them from the chilly air. His feline eyes drifted closed once more, like they always did as Niall and Harry spoke among themselves. Through bits and pieces, it was how Louis discovered that Harry had gone out with Niall last night. Last minute plans. Louis was ashamed to admit he was bothered by it. Only for the reason that Harry did not find a way to let him know he would be going out. Louis huffed a breath of air out of his tiny nose in frustration. 

Louis looked over at Harry, staring at him sharply. He shouldn’t be bothered, but he really was. He wanted to tell Harry it was messed up to not tell him, so he’d be aware he would be alone. Louis got lonely easily. He couldn’t just call or text his family or Liam to chat.  Louis had no way to communicate.

It did not feel fair. Nothing felt fair. Louis was forced to be a hairy cat on all fours, shit in the backyard, drink water from a glass dish off a floor and lick himself clean. 

“I am sorry, Louis.” 

Louis’ ears perked and he focused back on Harry, seeing him frowning and staring at him. Louis glanced at Niall, he was still talking away. 

Louis mentally rolled his eyes, mentally glared at Harry. How would Harry know if Louis was upset? Louis was just a pesky cat who couldn’t show emotions. Harry had no idea. 

Only he did, “Louis. I said I was sorry.” Harry said softly and Niall cleared his throat. 

Louis looked at Niall before looking at Harry. He stared at him, trying to understand how Harry could possibly know how he felt. Louis blinked a few times and Niall chuckled. He narrowed his cat eyes at Niall before looking back at Harry and moving to get down. He wanted air, needed air. Cold or not he was mad at Harry.

“Louis, I can hear everything you're saying,” Harry said matter of factly. 

Louis stopped, turning around and looked at Harry because holy shit. Louis had been so focused on Harry, so focused on his emotions he’d been putting his thoughts into Harry’s mind which meant Harry could hear his thoughts. 

“So, now that this works, you two got loads of shit to figure out. I’m going to head out. H, call me if you need me.” Niall spoke as he stood up.

Louis did not watch Niall leave, his focus was still on Harry. He was surprised because he had no idea Harry had found a way to reverse his own spell and now he could communicate with him.This was big and Louis was overwhelmed with so many feelings. 

Louis needed to sit down. He needed to sit down and just think for a moment. He heard Harry chuckle and Louis looked over at him. He had no idea where to start. No idea what to do. Now that he could communicate with Harry he didn’t even know what to do.

“So, I did this spell, it basically lets me hear your thoughts, it isn’t a big complex thing and was rather easy. But I didn’t want to tell you in case it wasn’t going to work because sometimes things just don’t work. But, it worked. The spell lets me hear everything you’re thinking and I am sorry, I really am. I admit that sometimes I forget that inside the white cat is a person with real emotions.” Harry sat on the floor with his back to the sofa.

Louis hesitantly walked over to him and crawled onto his thigh. He looked up at Harry.

_ This feels weird. _ Louis thought, glancing at Harry as he did.

Harry smiled slightly, “Yeah. It’s a bit weird to actually hear you. No more guessing games. I just have one question. More of a request.” 

Louis waited for him to continue, slightly kneading his claws into Harry’s jogger covered thigh.

“I just ask that you like… just don’t read my thoughts? I do not know if there is a way not to? But still, manipulate so I can hear yours? Am I making sense, I don’t think I am. I am sorry, Lou.” Harry looked down at his hands. 

Louis looked at Harry’s face, mentally frowning.  _ I understand you. I can avoid reading your thoughts. I do not know if I can always avoid it. Sometimes things just slip out to be honest. I rarely use my ability. But when I do, it’s like an  _ overfilled _ trash bin. Sometimes things fall out and I catch them _ . 

Harry nodded and ran a hand over Louis bumpy spine, down to his tail and back up, “I only have twenty-four hours to read your thoughts. I could not find anything more permanent. The spell isn’t very strong, but I can redo it if needed.” 

_ I do not want to wait until last minute again. I could have said so much, Harry _ . Louis scanned Harry’s face as he thought. 

Harry smiled at him and shook his head, “I’m going to go get some paper and a pencil. I want to write everything down. So anything I need to ask you, I have plenty of time to do so. I think we may have already lost a couple of hours. I do not know if it starts counting from the time it works or the time I drank from the mug.” 

Louis crawled off of Harry’s thigh and onto the sofa, watching him as he stood up and left the room. This was it though, this was his chance and it felt like it was his final chance. His last moment to get this right and he had to do it right. Louis could not, would  _ not _ fuck this up again. He needed to be a human again. No matter what, he wanted it. He was worried about how things could be between him and Harry, worried that it will all go back to normal after he turns back. 

But deep down, Louis knew he had to do this. He did not want to live his life out like a cat. He wanted to go home and hug his family and have a pint with Liam and do mundane things again. 

He heard Harry walking back into the living area with a notepad and a pen in his hand. He sat back down on the floor, eye level to Louis and took a sip of his tea that was on the coffee table beside him. He scribbled, checking if his pen had any ink before looking over at Louis. 

“Alright. Are you ready?” Harry asked Louis.

_ As ready as I'll ever be _ . Louis thought. 

Louis was beyond ready, and anxious with nerves that slowly began to twist inside him. Harry must have sensed it because he pulled a hand up, running his fingers up and down the bridge of Louis white fur-lined nose. 

“I need you to tell me the last thing you remember before you became a cat.” He said softly, still petting Louis.

Louis mentally sighed, closing his blue feline eyes. Where to start was the question. He remembered so much but it felt like it was hardly anything at all. He opened his eyes and looked up at Harry, feeling so small next to him. 

_ I’d been at Liam’s flat and was headed home _ . Louis thought, not sure what to say exactly. 

“Do you know any details? Can you just tell me everything you remember?” Harry questioned, a lopsided smile pulling across his face. 

Louis mentally nodded, _ I left his flat and started heading back to mine. I was going to take a shortcut that I’ve taken before. It wasn’t anything new. I was having a smoke and walking home _ . 

Harry sighed... He sat his pen and paper aside and moved so he was eye level to Louis with his chin on the sofa.

“Lou, I need more. I need anything and everything.” Harry whispered. 

_ I know, I know _ .  _ I just...I need a moment to think. It’s been a while _ . Louis thought, blinking his blue eyes at the closeness of Harry. 

Harry nodded in understanding, “Of course. Just try to concentrate.” Harry’s warm breath ghosted over Louis’ fur-covered face and his left ear flicked. 

_ I went down an alleyway, a normal shortcut for me. I’d done it loads of times. I was in a hurry and ran into a woman. She stopped me and looked down on me. To be frank, I'm not sure she was even taller than me. But it felt like she was so tall. The way she appeared and held herself made her seem larger than anything. I froze, and before I knew it, I couldn’t move or speak. I felt as if I could barely breathe. She started speaking things I couldn’t really understand. _ Louis explained as he recalled that memory.

“What things, Lou?” Harry interrupted, keeping close to Louis’ face. A finger tracing patterns in Louis back. 

Louis tries to focus, willing his mind to concentrate,  _ Uhm… She talked about a boy she’d known. How she loved him and he wouldn’t love her back? I think… She said something about her spells not working _ .    
  
Harry nodded at Louis, sitting up slightly, “Lou-” Harry’s eyes were wide, his lips parted open staring intently, “What else?” 

The worried look on Harry’s face is making Louis feel unsettled, but he continues,  _ I couldn’t move no matter how hard I tried. I was so scared. I never felt so scared before. She talked about familiars and soul mates and how this guy she loved had one so her spells never worked. She said not all familiars are cats? I think... I am sorry. I don’t know if any of this helps _ . Louis mentally sighed. 

Louis didn’t feel anything he said was helpful. He couldn’t think of what else to say because there wasn’t much else he could remember.. It felt like there were holes in his memory, and Louis was grasping at what he could reach. 

“Louis, do you remember what she looked like?” Harry questioned, grabbing the paper and pen.

That is one thing Louis did remember. He doesn’t think he’d ever be able to forget a person like her. He could probably spot her in a crowd. She was beautiful with a unique look to her. Louis detested her so much for doing this to him. 

_ She had long silvery white hair. Her lips were red, a deep red. I remember that even in the dark you could tell that her skin was pale and her nails were long. She had this voice, it was distinct. But her eyes _ \--

“She was blind in one eye,” Harry stated. It was not a question. It was a statement. Louis can see the realization on Harry’s face as if he knows exactly who Louis was talking about.

Louis watched as Harry slowly stood from the floor, and ran his hands over his face with shaky hands and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He was trembling as he tried to dial. There was fear in Harry’s eyes, and it only made Louis feel more nervous about what this could mean.

Louis mentally frowned, he wanted to know what was going on inside Harry’s mind but he’d promised. And he did not want to break that promise. 

“Niall. I know who did this. Please ring me as soon as you can.” Harry hung up and tossed his phone on the coffee table before he looked at Louis.

He walked over and picked Louis up, pulling him close to his chest and went out back. The sun had set hours ago and the sky was partially cloudy and littered with dozens of stars above them. Louis was sat down on the semi-damp grass as Harry settled next to him, falling back with his hands over his face and a loud sigh falling from his lips. 

Louis looked over at him, staring at his profile in the dark. He wanted to comfort him, wrap his arms around him and hold him close and calm him down. He didn’t know why he was scared. Louis stood up and moved close, nuzzling his feline nose into the crook of Harry’s neck and began to purr loudly. He could hear Harry’s heart beating from inside Harry’s chest. His cat ears twitching at the sound. He could hear Harry’s pulse racing and he could hear the fear in his breath. Louis did not know what was going on, or why Harry was upset. 

Harry drew a hand up, awkwardly pulling Louis’ tiny body closer to his shoulder, letting out a shaky breath. His eyes closed as Louis purred into his neck. Louis’ cold pink nose brushed against Harry’s skin. It was the only thing Louis knew he could do, the only thing that felt right at this moment. He could smell an overwhelming scent that was Harry, musky and woodsy, a lingering sweetness behind the musk. Louis thinks that no matter what happens in life, whenever he smelled anything that resembled this, he would always remember this moment here and now. 

Louis listened as Harry’s heartbeat came to a slow  _ thump, thump _ deep inside his chest, as his breath fell from his lips in slow puffs of air. Louis really thinks that right now, he could stay in this moment forever, just he and Harry and the stars above and the quiet world around them. Louis wondered if Harry would mind staying here in the dark, with the silence and nobody else, just the two of them and dozens of galaxies surrounding them far, far away. 

Louis pulls away, tilting his small white head towards the sky. The clouds are moving in and as they break apart he can see the stars shining. One star shoots across the sky, leaving a small trail of light that quickly burns out behind it. Louis closes his blue eyes, letting out a small puff of air from his triangle pink nose. 

Louis misses home, but he also loves being here with Harry. It feels like an internal battle within him, trying to choose who he’d rather be with. Louis wants them both in his life, but in this moment he wants Harry. Louis wants home and Harry and he feels like Harry  _ is _ home. 

Being out here reminds Louis of when he used to sit outside on warm summer nights and watch the stars for hours with his mum. Louis would ask her all sorts of questions. Louis’ mum always had an answer, a reason for things. He really misses her right now as he sits beneath the tiny dancing speckles of light above. 

 

xx

**“Mum, how old are the stars?” Louis pushes the porch swing with his small foot against the post.**

**His Mum smiles over at him, her eyes shine in the light of the moon.**

**“Most stars are between one billion and ten billion years old, Honey. Some stars may even be close to thirteen point eight billion years old.”**

**Louis smiles, “When I grow up, I want to be like one of them.”**

**He looks up at the sky above them littered with stars. Blue, white, yellows and red dance between each other. Louis’ Mum leans over and places a soft kiss on his head.**

**“Louis, you already are.”**

xx

 

Louis looks at Harry, who is looking back at him. The concern is written all over Harry’s face. Louis watches as Harry sits up and scoops Louis in his arms bringing him to his chest. Louis’ small head is pressed against Harry’s heart, the  _ thump, thump _ echoing in his feline ears. Lips press to the top of Louis’ head softly, gently. A barely there kiss is placed amongst the medium white fur. Louis closes his eyes tightly. If he was human, he’d cry, but he isn’t and he can’t. 

Louis has never felt so homesick, so confused. He wants to stay here, wrapped up in Harry, in his smell, in his voice, in his arms. But Louis also wants to go home and be surrounded by his family and have lazy days on the porch as the cold moves in, as the leaves change and the night falls upon them. 

“I’m sorry, Lou.” is all Harry says. His voice is soft, quiet. 

Harry’s voice comforts Louis, the softness in it echoes deep down inside of him, feeling like a blanket wrapped around him. Louis realises that Harry must have read his thoughts. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am **SO** sorry for such a long delay in updating. RL took over and was annoying af. 
> 
> Thank you to those who have been giving me kudos! I appreciate it SO much. And even the ones who do not but are reading anyways! You all are amazing.

“H, slow down. You have got to breathe, alright?” Niall grabbed Harry by the shoulders, pressing his forehead against his as Louis looked on. 

When Harry realised who turned Louis into a cat, he got angry Harry did not want to deal with  _ her _ . Harry thought he had put her behind, in the past where she belongs. She had already done enough to ruin Harry’s life. Harry took a long deep breath in and blew it out slowly, his eyes closing as he nodded. 

“Alright, good. Now, start from the top yeah?” Niall rubbed his hands up and down the sides of Harry’s arms. 

Louis sat on the arm of the oversized sofa, watching them with a slight tilt to his feline head. Niall had rung Harry a few hours ago, waking Harry and Louis in the process. They had both fallen asleep on the sofa, Louis behind Harry’s legs.

“Niall, It was Lily. I know it was. It had to have been. He described her to a tee.” Harry clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides, keeping it short and to the point.

“H, no offence to Louis or anything but, it was dark. How can you be so sure it was?” Niall asked sceptically.

Harry groaned and pushed away from Niall. Louis watched as he grabbed his phone and keys, “Niall. It was! Long silvery white hair? I finished his statement about her eyes. How many partially blind witches with white hair are there out there? It has to be her. Apparently, she talked on about a man she loved. Saying nothing worked.  _ Nothing _ . You know she put spells on me.” 

“Alright, so say it is her. Why the hell did she turn Louis into a cat then? Seems a bit pointless if you ask me.” Niall flopped down on the sofa as Harry looked for his wallet.

“Fuck if I know. But, I am going to find out.” Harry grumbled.

Niall waved him off, not bothering to stop him because he knew it was pointless to try, “Of course you are. You go do that.  _ If  _ she turned Louis into a cat for whatever reason, I am sure she will be sure to let you know.”    
  
Louis watched as Harry sighed before leaving the house, the front door slamming behind him. Louis closed his eyes, listening to the silence around him. He could hear Niall exhale before moving around. Louis opened his eyes and looked over at him. Niall was staring at him with an eyebrow raised. 

“Well, it makes no sense to me, Louis.” Louis blinked at him while Niall looked at his phone.

Niall looked at him again and tossed his phone aside, “I don’t know. I am going to go read some of his books and see what can I find.” 

____

Harry pounded his fist on the large cherry wood stained door, shifting his weight from left to right as he waited a moment before he slammed the side of his fist against the door once more. The door opened up, and a petite female appeared in the doorway. Harry ’s eyes scanned her over, as her hip popped out with a hand on her waist as she smirked back at him.

Lilly’s long strands of silver blonde hair were pulled up into a sloppy bun atop her head and her face was free of makeup. Small freckles littered her cheeks, and Harry remembers how he used to hate when she’d cover them with up makeup. 

Lily blinked at him with a flirty smile, “Well, well, well. Look what the _ cat _ dragged in.” 

Harry’s eyes narrowed putting his hand to her chest and pushing her back inside, closing the door behind them. She huffed, crossing her arms and walking over to a large white sofa with a pink throw on it, sitting pulling her legs beneath her. She watched Harry as he walked into the sunken living room and sat next to her. 

“Why did you do it, Lily?” Harry asked,  wanting to get straight to the point. 

“Do what, Sweetie?” She bit her bottom lip and Harry rolled his eyes. 

“Why the fuck did you turn Louis into a cat? ” 

“Oh. That. Who says I did it?” She questioned. 

“No. We are not playing games. Stop acting innocent and be honest, Lily. Why is Louis Tomlinson a damn cat in my fucking home?” Harry questioned, slowly getting more agitated by the minute. 

“Harry, if I told you why it would be pointless, Babe. I think you know as well as I do that you have to figure it out.” She battered her long fake eyelashes at him, tilting her head to the side. 

He rolled his eyes, “So you did it?” 

She smiled up at him and nodded, “Sure. But knowing who did it won’t fix it, Dear. You need to know why.” 

Harry groaned, running his hands over his face, “Yeah. Of course, you have to be a wretched little witch. Nothing has changed with you.” 

She laughed, stopping abruptly, “This would never have happened if you’d just loved me back.” 

Harry narrowed his eyes, “Who in their right mind would ever love you? You are the most selfish person I’ve ever met. You turned an innocent human into a goddamn cat.” 

Her eyes narrowed as she stood from the sofa, “You think I did it for no reason, Harry? Maybe I should have turned you into one also. You both are so blind. At this rate, he will be a cat forever because you two are so stupid. You both are blind. I honestly thought by now you both would have figured it out. ” Lily countered as she got up, storming to her front door and opening it.

She glared over at him, her facial expressions obvious to him that he was no longer welcomed. He stormed past her out the front door, anger coursing its way through him. He wanted to turn around and yell at her, just go off but he knew it was pointless. She was not going to be helpful and getting angry could just land him in a deeper mess. As is, he already had wasted time. If she was being honest, knowing she was the one who turned Louis was pointless. She said that the reason was what mattered. At least now he knew that. Only now, he needed to know what that reason was. 

On his drive home, Harry thought over his brief encounter with Lily. The things she said and what she didn’t say. He tried to read between the lines. He was always good at that when it came to her. He got nothing, though. Nothing came to mind as to what this could all mean, as to why she cast the spell on Louis. 

He decided to go straight home and not waste any more time. Maybe talking to Louis and Niall and have a fresh mind look into all of this would help. Someone had to have some idea of what this could all mean. Right now, anything would be better and time was running out. He did not want to have to redo this mind reading spell on himself over and over. He needed to just fix all of this, fix it for Louis so he could get his life back. So he could go back to being Louis Tomlinson and getting back to his life before becoming a cat.

When Harry had returned home everyone was asleep so he had decided to do the same. It would leave him a couple of hours to have to communicate with Louis in the morning. He did not want to wake Louis, and Harry was exhausted in so many ways. 


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! So quick note that this chapter does contain some mild Harry/OFC and it is part of the plot point and what happens is not heavy or anything at all.

Louis was stretching along the arm of the sofa as Niall walked by, pushing him off as he did. He hissed at Niall and stood up from the seat of the sofa, digging his claws into it.

“Louis, stop.” Harry scolded him as he came into the living area.

Louis looked over at him, glaring only he knew no one could really tell,  _ He pushed me. _ he thought mentally and Harry looked at Niall.

“Why the fuck did you push him?”

Niall raised an eyebrow for a moment before his face went blank, “How long will you two be able to do that?”

Harry lifted his shoulders in a shrug before leaning back on the sofa as Louis climbed onto his lap, “I don’t know. Should be wearing off in a few I think.”

Niall nodded, “So, what happened?” 

Harry knew he meant with Lily. He ran his hand over Louis’ back and scratched lightly at the base of his tail. 

“She admitted to doing it. But she refused to say why. Some bullshit about how knowing why she had done this is not going to fix it. She said we’re both blind and some other crap around that.” 

“So, you need to know why she did it?” Niall questioned and Harry nodded.

“How the fuck do we figure that one out?” 

“I do not know. Overanalyze what she said?” Harry was joking.

But Niall did not see it as a joke, he sat forward nodding, “Yes. Tell me what she said, I will ring my Great Aunt. Maybe she can give me something, I mean anything is literally better than nothing, H.” 

Harry agreed and proceeded to tell him everything that had happened how he had remembered it. Niall kept asking questions until Harry was fed up with answering them. They went over the same questions again, and again. Niall just wanted to make sure they had as much detailing as they could get. Which it all lead to the same thing. 

She thought that Lily had reasoning to turn Louis into a cat. Louis was somehow part of the reasoning and so was Harry. She had stated if Harry had loved her this would not of happened. Which baffled them all, because to them it made no sense. Except deep in Niall’s mind the wheel turned and he could see a pattern as he watched Harry interacting with Louis. 

The next day, Niall came over with a plan. Harry and Louis had laid around talking until Harry’s spell had worn off during the night. Harry would've been lying if he said he hadn’t been a bit sad at that. Harry knew he could do the spell again to keep his communication with Louis open.. He also knew doing so eventually could bring risks. He did not want to permanently get rid of the spell he had on himself. So he was not going to risk it unless he really had to. 

So, that is what Niall found when he walked into Harry’s place around noon to find Louis and Harry laying in the kitchen floor eating cookie dough. 

“Not sure the cat needs to eat that.” Niall eyed the both of them. Harry was on his back and Louis was on his chest. 

Harry tilted his head back slightly, looking up at Niall, “Yeah well, not sure he really needs to be a cat but what can you do?” 

“Well, for starters get up off your arse, grab a shower and put on something nice. After that, drive yourself to Lily’s and swoon her.” 

Harry choked on the cookie dough and Louis blinked. 

“So, I had tea with me great aunt. Basically told her everything. She quite likes it like a proper soap opera, everything going on with Louis and such. However, in the end, she said that it is very likely that the only way we can figure this out is we really know more about the story. Or, if Lily tells you.” 

Harry slowly sat up, scooping Louis up with him and holding him to his bare chest as he stood up. He sat Louis on the bar and tugged his joggers up some.

“So. We are fucked?” Harry mumbled.

Niall snorted, “No. You’re going to swoon the ever living shit out of this witch. She will spill the beans and you have your reason. None of her spells work on you and I will be here with Louis. So, once you know you can ring me, I will begin searching. My great auntie has an idea of what it may be. I want to see if she is right.”

Harry nodded before tugging on his bottom lip, “Okay but why would I suddenly give a fuck about her?” 

Louis glanced between the two, listening intently on the plan that he detested. While Niall’s idea sounded pretty solid, he couldn’t help but feel the little tinge of jealousy twisting inside of his feline gut. 

“We'll just say you came to an awakening or did a spell on yourself for true love. You’ve protected yourself from others. Not your own.” Niall shrugged before pulling Harry towards him by his waist.

“Now go bathe. You smell like cookies and cat.” 

Louis hissed at Niall at that remark before he hopped off the bar and followed Harry down the hall. They both walked into Harry’s bedroom as he went about finding some clean clothes. Louis was on the bed watching him, closely his back straight and tail tucked over his front paws. 

“I don’t like it either, Lou,” Harry mumbled, his bare back to Louis. 

Louis meowed softly just so Harry knew he was being heard, turning his head as Niall walked by. He could hear him opening the altar room door and close behind him. Louis turned his focus back to Harry as he grabbed a clean towel off the top shelf in his closet and headed towards the bathroom. 

Louis sat there, letting his eyes slowly close as he listened to Harry in the shower across the hall, the smell of his body wash and shampoo seeping through the hall and into Harry’s room. Another mental note of something that Louis will miss. He heard the shower turn off, the curtain open and Harry moving around. The bathroom door was open just a bit, opening his eyes to glance at it before letting them drift closed again. He could hear the familiar humming as Harry did whatever it was he was doing and he slowly drifted off. 

It was a loud noise that woke Louis and he stood up stretching, a small yawn escaping his feline mouth as he blinked towards the hall. He hopped off the bed and went towards the sound of Niall’s voice in a frenzy. He found him and Harry in the living area, Harry was bent over with his back to Louis as he pulled on his boots. 

“H, you have got to be kidding me!” Niall yelled, spotting Louis before crossing his arms. He pressed his lips closed tightly as Harry stood up and turned around.

Louis would gasp if he could and for a split moment wondered how he would look as a feline gasping. Instead, he backed up slightly, bumping into the wall before he sat down. 

Harry was standing by Niall, by the front door and his hair was gone. His hair that was curly and just past his chin was now short. It was hanging over his eyes and different lengths. Harry pulled a hand up and swooped his hair back with his fingers, slightly styling it before he headed towards the hall and into the bathroom. 

He came back a moment later, squatting down in front of Louis, smelling like a musky cologne and hairspray. 

“Hi. I’ll be back shortly and we can fix you alright?” He didn’t touch Louis like he normally does when he leaves. 

Louis usually gets a small pet or a scratch behind the ear. However this time, Harry just stood up and headed to the door, grabbing his things off the small table beside it. 

“Be careful, be patient. Don’t get angry with her, H.” Niall spoke as he held the door open for Harry.

Harry nodded as he patted his back pockets making sure he had everything. 

“I’ll stay with Louis for a bit, may head home here in a few but you should be fine, he should be fine. Give me a ring soon.” He patted Harry on the shoulder as he headed out the door.

Louis watched as Harry said something, his little feline ears could not pick up over the cars outside. He watched as Niall shut the door before clapping his hands. Niall walked over to Louis and Louis looked up at him.

“Well, I have some reading to do. You can join me if you wish.” He headed on down the hall, leaving Louis to sit there.

Louis glanced at the front door briefly before getting up and walking into the bedroom and hopped up onto the bed. He felt indifferent with Harry cutting off his hair, felt confused as to why he would do that. Harry had acted like it was no big deal. And maybe it wasn’t. 

**x**

Harry pulled up outside of Lily’s and ran his hands over his thighs. His palms were sweaty from the nerves twisting in his stomach. He had no idea how to pull this off. He looked in the rearview mirror once more, running his fingers through his short and layered brown hair. For so many years his hair had been long. All his time spent with Lily, he’d had long hair. 

He decided to change it, to take the plunge and just cut it so he did. He makes a mental note to have it actually fixed a bit better by a professional in the next few days but for now, he glances at the front door and hesitantly gets out. He locks his door and walks up to the front of her small one bedroom home. It’s a modest home, more modern with large overgrown trees in the small yard. Leaves having piled up around the trunks of them. 

He raised his hand to the door, knocking rapidly twice. He cleared his throat as the door opened and he looked down at Lily. Her hair was now down, a few small braids trailing down the side of her head, random flowers stuck in between the twists. She raised an eyebrow, blinking up at him. 

“Well, to what do I owe this pleasure?” She sounded bored at him being on her front porch. 

Harry swallowed heavily, gently pushing past her and into her living area. He walked the two steps down into the sunken room and sat on the sofa as if he owned the place. Watching as she closed the front door, her short orange coloured dress twirling as she turned around, heading into the living area and sat down beside him. She crossed her legs and put her hands in her lap and looked over at him. Her one white eye was slightly covered by some wisps of hair that had fallen in front of her face.

He reached out, slowly brushing the hair back, tucking it behind her ear. 

“You cut your hair off.” She spoke quietly. Her demeanour was different now, almost shy to be around him. 

Harry nodded, “I did. Thought it was time for a change.” 

“Mm… Suits you. Though so did the long waves and curls you had. But, it looks good. Looks like you could be on the cover of Rolling Stone in that white button-down shirt and with your hair.”    


Harry snorted at her, letting his hand settle on the back of her white sofa, his fingers brushing back and forth over her bare shoulder. She looked at his fingers before looking at him.   


“What are you doing Harry ?”    


He felt her eyes burning into his and he licked his lips slowly, “I went home and was reading, trying to figure out why you’d turn a human into a feline. I found a spell and I did it on myself.” 

She nodded slowly, it was obvious she was trying to evaluate the situation, trying to read him. 

“It was a love spell. And it leads me here.” He bit the inside of his bottom lip, trying to read her emotions. 

Her eyes narrowed, “Do you honestly expect me to believe that? Do you know how many spells I did on you? You practically have an immunity.” 

“Yeah, against you and others. Not against myself. I always put them on myself.” He leaned forward slightly, moving more into her space. 

“So, you want me to believe you pulled some love spell out of your ass, and it brought you here?” She put a hand on his chest to push him back. But her movements halted as he leaned closer.

He nodded slowly, bringing his lips to her ear, “Yes.” He whispered in her ear, rolling his eyes when he knew she couldn’t see him. 

He could hear her swallow, abruptly getting up, “Would you like some water? I’d like some water.” 

Harry reached for her hand, pulling her back to the sofa and placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

“Let me. I am sure I just unloaded a lot on you. Maybe you need a moment. I’ll go get us some drinks” He stood up, leaving the living area before she could stop him.

He knew his way around her place, had spent enough time here to map it out. He walked into the small kitchen and moved to where she kept the mugs. He added a little water to one of the mugs before opening her refrigerator and looking in it. He needed something that would add flavour. He spotted a half bottle of wine and smiled to himself, grabbing it. 

He checked once more though to see if she had any wine glasses and not surprising to him that she didn’t. He’d always tried to get her to have at least a set of four but she was never bothered to have any. He quickly glanced into the living area and reached into his pocket, pulling out the vial that Niall had slipped him on his way out. 

He poured the contents into her mug with the splash of water and swished it around before leaning over and whispered some words into it. He poured some wine into the glass before giving himself some. He took a heavy drink before adding a little more and putting the wine back. Harry headed back to her, keeping her glass held out so he knew it was hers and offered it to her before sitting down beside her. She raised an eyebrow as she took the glass of wine, sniffing at it. He bit his cheek as she inspected it but said nothing as he sipped his own. 

“You still have no wine glasses.” He spoke as he sat his glass down on the side table next to the sofa where he was sitting. 

“Couldn’t be bothered, you know nobody visits me.” She hesitantly took a sip of the wine. 

He could see her swishing it around in her mouth before letting it flow down her throat. She licked her lips and took another sip, this one a much larger drink. 

“Well, we need to fix that. You enjoy entertaining. Get you out there and make some friends, entertain them. Have you thought of joining a coven?” He questioned her as she pulled her petite legs up beneath her.

She shook her head, turning her attention to him, “No. Why would I? I have such… what did you say it was? Oh, right. ‘Psychotic’ views.” 

He nodded it was something he’d once told her. He knew it had been a low blow also, and that it had hurt her. He leaned forward and took another sip of the wine he had, he needed her to drink because he really needed to get out of this place as soon as possible. 

“I did. And, I am honestly very sorry for that, Lily. I was blind and fueled by anger. I should never have sad such things.” He slowly moved closer to her, moving his arm to the back of the sofa.

He felt her tense a moment before relaxing and he let his hand fall to her shoulder, circling a finger against her bare pale skin. They sat there like that, slowly moving in closer to each other until their bodies touched and their wine was gone. Sat there having idle chat, filling in the gaps of silence with light touches. 

He had to keep the act up, had to pull her in and make her believe everything he said, everything he did. The truth potion he gave her was only part of it. He knew it and Niall had known it.

If she did not buy his act, they would be fucked out of the answer. But Niall also knew she would not trust Harry just offering her a drink He glanced at the old clock above her small fireplace, enough time had passed for it to work now. He turned to look at her, finding her face incredibly close to his. He could smell the wine on her breath.

He saw the red stain on her lips and he licked his own. She leaned in closer, a small smile on her lips. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard before leaning in and kissing her. It was a barely there type of kiss. Enough for her though it seemed as she smiled against his lips. She moved her lips to his jaw, pressing soft kisses along the jawline and he tried to tune her out. He felt nothing, except a weird guilt pooling in the pit of his stomach. 

“Lily, did you ever get over me?” He asked quietly as she placed kisses towards his neck. 

He tilted his head in feigned interest as she nodded, mumbling against his skin. 

“I thought I had. Oh. I thought I had. No one compares to you, Harry. So glad you did that spell.”

“So you believe me?” He asked hesitantly. 

“Yes, I believe you. I mean at first, I thought you were having one over on me but no. I can feel it between us.” Her hand moved to his thigh and he glanced down at it.

“Do you want me?” He asked with a low tone, tilting her chin up some so she would look at him.

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. He smirked at her and brushed his lips against her’s. She let out a gasp against his lips, trying to follow them as he pulled back. 

“I only need to know one thing. I have tried so hard. So, hard and you know how I hate never knowing things. I always want to learn new things. And I thought that your cat game was a bit amusing if I’m honest.” He leaned forward and kissed her neck, trying to distract her as he spoke. 

She hummed quietly so he continued, talking against her skin, “What did you do to be able to turn a human into a tiny annoying cat? Why did you need to do it?” He sucked a kiss to her neck and she moaned quietly. 

He was bored, and if he was honest felt wrong. He was doing whatever he could to get the answer out of her. If the potion failed this could all backfire right now, and fuck everything up. She was quick on her feet when angry, could spout the worse of worse spells with no actual products in them at people at a moments notice. 

She moaned again, her hands digging into his thigh and side, tugging at his shirt, “He- Ah - your soul mate. I didn’t want you two to find each other. But - Oh - I got frustrated that you two kept passing each other.” 

His eyes widened, as he nipped at her neck before pulling back. He kissed her hard, bruising against her lips, “He’s my soulmate?”    


She nodded her lips pressing into his and pulled back, climbing on to his lap, “You two are so fucking blind. I watched the two of you run around in this stupid dance. I got fed up. If I could not be happy why should you? Why should he? He was the worst. I saw you eyeing him across the pubs.” 

Harry frowned before schooling his emotions, “Good thing I did that spell tonight, yeah? Now I am all yours.” 

She nodded, smiling down at him and he leaned in, kissing her lips before whispering a few words. She pulled back, frowning. Her eyes narrowed and she slid off him. Harry stood up and moved away from her. 

“What did you do to me?” She questioned as he reached for his phone and clicked on Niall’s name in the contacts. 

“Aye, How’d it go?” Niall asked on the other end.

“Done. Do it. I’m getting the fuck out of here.” He hung up and looked down at her.

“If you ever try to fuck with any of us again it will backfire on you. You will never be able to touch Louis, touch anyone in my family, anyone I know. You will be able to do no harm. You can no longer harm anyone, Lily. No one you got it?” 

She nodded sheepishly, “I only meant well. I loved you. I was greedy, Harry. Please forgive me.” 

He shook his head, “Maybe someday I will but that day is not today.” 

Harry turned, leaving in a rush as she called for him behind her, if all worked out as planned she would be bound from doing any harmful spells on anyone else. The only thing was he did not know what she did to turn Louis into a cat. Niall had said the reason why was the biggest thing when he left. 

Now Harry wanted to get home, wash her from his skin and tell Niall what he’d been told. He got in his car and immediately drove off, heading home a little too fast than he should have been. He wanted to be as far away from her as he could get, as soon as he could. 

 


	17. Chapter 17

Niall was sitting on Harry’s bed, Louis on his pillow, licking his paw. He’d stepped in cookie dough that had dropped on the kitchen floor earlier that day. Niall had spent time in Harry’s altar room before his phone rang. After which he finished up and joined Louis on Harry’s bed. 

Louis heard the front door slam shut, hearing Harry’s footsteps pad down the hall towards the bedroom. He came into the room, already stripping from his clothes. He was all but naked before he got to his dresser.    
  
“So, what did you find out?” Niall asked as Harry pulled on a pair of joggers. 

Harry glanced at Louis before looking at Niall and nodded outside of the bedroom. Louis mentally frowned as he watched them both leave the room, hearing their footsteps get further away. After a few moments, he heard Niall yell out and Harry hush him. He hopped down and slowly slinked towards them. Only he failed to be sneaky as he kicked a jingle ball. 

Louis glared at the little green and blue ball with a bell inside. He never touched that thing but now the one time he would like to not see it, it happens to be in his way. He looked up to find Harry smirking at him. Louis mentally shrugged and continued to walk into the living room.

“Well, he needs to discover it on his own. I will start looking up spells and ring me great aunt. I’ll get back to you in the morning before work if I figure anything out.” Niall finished talking before he saluted Louis and Harry.

____

Harry looked over at Louis and headed towards him after locking up the house. He bent down and scooped him up, burying his face into Louis’ soft white furry side. He knew what Louis was to him, a feeling he was unsure of how to exactly handle such a thing. Harry had, for a long time thought that his life was one of those that he would be alone.

It was something he dealt with in his own ways, maybe not the best of ways but still. He handled it. And for the most part, emotionally he’d learned to deal with it decently, accepting such a thing. Only now he feels he has been dealt such a blow and has no idea what to do with it. He can not tell Louis because he knows Louis has to find out on his own. If they both get told does it annul the spell? If they’re both told the truth, will he still turn back or will he not turn back at all? Harry was told and did not discover it so he is already worried. He should have asked Lily more than he had. But he needed to get out of that place. 

Harry looked down at Louis, his small feline eyes closed as he sits comfortably in Harry’s arms, against his chest. He leans down, inhaling the feline scent with the lingering smell of Niall. Harry chuckles, knowing Niall had obviously held Louis at some point. He heads towards the bedroom, flipping off the lights as he goes and sets Louis down before crawling beneath the covers. 

Only instead of getting on his pillow Harry watches as Louis attempts to crawl under the covers. Harry rolls onto his side, lifting the blanket and Louis crawls under. He watches as he makes himself comfortable, curled in against Harry’s stomach, face towards him. He tucks lays his head on his paws, glancing over at Harry and blinks a few times before he draws his long tail over his eyes.

Harry drops the blanket and settles into bed, reaching under the blanket to run his fingers through the medium length white fur on Louis’ side as he slowly dozes off.

X

The next day Louis wakes up alone, still underneath the blanket. He yawns before crawling out slowly. The room is still dark, but bits of light streaming through a crack in the long drapes tells him it’s daylight out. He drops to the floor with a soft thud and roams down the hall towards the sound of the familiar humming. Mentally smiling as he walks into the kitchen, he tilts his head as he sits by the corner of the bar and watches Harry clean up. 

It’s in that moment that Louis really analyzes Harry. The way he moves himself around the kitchen as he does mundane things. The way he hums and dances to his own beat in his head. Louis mentally smiles, a small ache of longing filling the pit of his stomach. As the feelings pool inside him he gets up and walks away. He can’t be feeling such things and has to shut down that human emotion. He is a cat, for now at least. And he has to control the human emotions that want to break free. Because it’s useless right now. 

He pushes between the heavy drapes that are drawn on the sliding glass door and slink out the small opening like always. 

Inside, Niall knocks at the door and Harry lets him in. They both go to the sofa and have a seat. Niall immediately updates Harry on anything he may have learned that could help them, help Louis. 

Louis is walking back towards the door when he hears it. When he hears Harry’s confirmation follow. 

“H, that is your soulmate. This is big. Do you not feel anything?” Niall questioned, trying to keep his voice low.

“When I was a cat and he took me roaming. When we sat on the bridge railing… yeah. Honestly, I didn't want it to end. But right now, Lou is a cat. I can't feel something. But I am so attached. I worry he'll leave me once he turns human.” Harry's voice was quiet, a lingering sadness in it.

Louis had heard it all. He sat down and stared at the pulled drapes. He felt like all the air had been knocked out of him. He was confused. Harry did not want him to leave. Harry may feel the same? And the big one, that Harry and Louis are soulmates. 

Louis would give anything to be able to tell Harry he did not want to leave him. That he wanted to be a human and have Harry wrap himself around him. To feel his heartbeat in tune with his own. 

Louis looked down at his paws, mentally chewing himself out for all of those times he had ignored Harry. Every time he looked past the dimpled smile and the kind voice. All those chances likely lost. Louis closed his eyes, his stomach began to twist and he laid down with his feet beneath him.

He felt cold and sick. His body began to burn and he tried to meow, tried to cry out for help. Mentally he shouted for Harry. Begging him to hear him as the pain twisted like a knife throughout his body. He felt tears building in the corner of his eyes as he gasped. 

Louis hears the wind pick up, a cold chill blowing across his body. He slowly opens his eyes and takes a deep breath, filling his lungs heavily before letting it out. He notices it sounds different and the ground feels cold when it hadn’t a few moments ago. 

He goes to stand and falls down, frowning Louis looks at his paws. Only instead of paws, he finds bare feet. His eyes widen and he holds his arms out in front of him. His fingers, his tattooed arm. He feels over his face and chest in shock. Louis runs his fingers through his hair, stopping when he feels it. He pats the opposite side of his head and finds another.

He swallows heavily, he has feline ears. Curiously he slowly stands on his feet and runs a hand behind him and finds it. His tail. He wraps it around the front of him and runs his fingers over the long white fur. He looks down at his naked human body, holding his attached cat tail in two hands. 

He whimpers softly and knocks hesitantly at the glass door, listening as he hears Niall and Harry question it. He tries once more and moves a hand down to cover his bare parts. His tail also helping to block the view. 

The drapes are pulled open, revealing Harry. His eyes widen, a hand still on the drapes. Niall stands up and peers over his shoulder and spots Louis. He laughs out and runs over to the door and opens it.

“Oh. Oh my god. I have so many questions.” Niall mumbles as he grabs a blanket for Louis.

He drapes it over Louis’ shoulders as Louis keeps his focus on Harry while pulling the blanket by the corners around him for warmth and privacy. Harry looks stunned. 

Niall nudges Harry, pulling him back to Earth. Harry lets out a heavy breath and moves forward, wrapping his arms around Louis tightly.

Louis welcomes the embrace, closing his eyes as he presses his nose into the crook of Harry's neck. They stand there like that, quietly as the world moves around them. Until Harry hears something and laughs quietly before pulling away. He'd just forgotten for a moment that it was not just he and Louis. 

Louis realises at that moment that he was purring and a blush slowly flows across his cheeks.

Niall is the first to actually break the silence, “Alright. Let him come in. He needs clothes. And I guess I should call Liam.”

Louis’ eyes widened as he slowly takes a shaky step forward. Harry helps balance him as they move to the sofa. 

“Please, I'd love to see him.” Louis could almost cry at the thought of getting to see Liam.

Tail or no tail. He was human, well for the most part. As he sits on the sofa and Niall calls Liam he realises Harry had left the room. He glances at Niall before slowly getting up with the blanket around him and with hesitant, slow steps walking towards the bedroom. 

He walks in quietly, spotting Harry holding a pair of joggers in hand, his back to Louis. Louis stares at him for a moment. A mix of emotions coursing through him. He clears his throat and Harry spins around with wide eyes. 

“Uhm… I came to get you something to wear. But you have a tail… And so, like… I was trying to figure out what to do.” His voice shook slightly as he twisted the black joggers in his hands.

Louis licked his lips and let the blanket drop to the floor in a pile at his feet. His long tail now wrapped around his thigh. Harry licked his lips, eyes scanning over Louis’ naked form before clearing his throat.

“These are uhm... They are old. I can cut a hole?” He moves to grab a pair of scissors out of the top drawer of his dresser.

Louis quietly walked over to Harry, his body almost flushed against his. He felt Harry take a deep breath. 

Harry slowly turned around so they were chest to chest. Louis smiled shyly at him. He felt a pull towards Harry. He let his eyes wander down towards Harry's lips and pulled a hand up, slowly running his thumb across Harry's bottom lip.

All he had to do was lean forward just a bit and he could press his lips against Harry’s. Could feel how it felt to kiss him. 

Except it was that moment that Niall came in, talking loudly and moved between Harry and Louis. He grabbed the joggers and looked at Louis.

“Okay so put them on and then we can add a hole,” Niall said and Louis nodded.

He pulled them on being mindful of his tail and reached back finding the lump for his tail. Harry turned his attention back to the dresser and dug around before finding a marker. He handed it to Niall who kneeled down tracing around Louis tail. 

“Okay so. We will let you be. Just take ‘em off cut the hole and put ‘em back on.” Niall clapped Louis on the back before grabbing Harry by the arm.

Louis watched Niall practically drag Harry out of the bedroom and he sighed, proceeding to do what Niall had instructed.

Once he was done he went and sat on the bed, pulling his tail -that now had a small hole to slip through in the back of the joggers - around onto his lap. Louis ran his fingers over the long white fur and sighed. 

He felt so many things at the moment. He was a mix of emotions. Not even an hour ago he’d been a four-legged cat. Now he was a hybrid of a human and a cat. He was so close, and yet it felt like some cruel joke. 


	18. Chapter 18

Niall paced back and forth in front of Harry, “We got a problem.”

Harry snorted, “You're telling me.”

“I know. I know. But hey… the upside is we can talk to him. And he looks kind of adorable. His one ear twitches when you're looking at him.”

Harry rolls his eyes, “Is Liam coming over? Does he know?”

“About that. I told him to come. Like… as soon as he could. But I may have not told him why, so…who knows?” Niall shrugged and Harry groaned.

“Great.” He mumbled.

Niall beamed though, “But Louis is a talking human... for the most part!” 

“Why like this though, Nial?,Why is he like some form of hybrid?”

Niall shrugged, “I don’t know, mate. I mean, I heard folklore about it but never anything outside of little stories.” 

Harry ran his hands over his face and sighed heavily, “I really have no idea what to say to this. What do we say? How do we fix this now? Can it not be a simple thing because this is really not okay. This is not fair to him!” 

“I know it’s not but it is what it is. Sadly. And right now, we need to just take things one step at a time. At least we can talk to Louis now, that is going to help. Just try to relax and just stop over thinking or whatever.” 

Harry didn't respond instead looked up as Louis walked in. He was wearing a t-shirt that Harry had already worn. Something inside him twisted, like butterflies swarming in the pit of his stomach. Louis sat down on the sofa, trying to be careful with the inconvenience of a tail and pulled his knees up to his chest, laying his head on them. His eyes fell on Harry. Harry sighed and went over and sat down beside Louis. 

“I am going to go call my great aunt, see if she has any idea what is going on.” Niall spoke up as he left the room, heading down the hall towards Harry’s altar room. 

Harry let his head fall back on the sofa and closed his eyes for a moment, relaxing into the sofa before looking over at Louis. He let his eyes wander down to Louis’ tail and slowly reached out, letting the long fur run between his fingers. Louis slid his tail over onto Harry’s lap slowly. A small smile tugged at the corner of Harry’s lips as he ran his fingers through the fur, watching as Louis slowly wrapped his tail around his arm. Harry glanced up at Louis’ face as they sat there quietly. He tried to read his face but it was blank so he just sat there, staring at him, taking in everything he could. 

He looked up at the feline white ears, one with a triangle of black specs, watching as it twitched slightly and he smiled, remembering what Niall had said. His eyes fell back to Louis’ face, finding his deep blue eyes staring at him. Louis looked so small, so young and fragile right now. Harry could not begin to even try to imagine how he must feel. To have his life suddenly changed and not knowing if it would ever go back to how it once was. And now, now he is a human again except parts of the feline physically remain.

The frustration he must feel, and the way he looks. Harry rolls his head forward, looking towards the drawn drapes. He tries to mentally put himself in Louis’ shoes and he feels heartbroken for him. A knock at the door startles him from his thoughts and Louis yanks his tail back, pulling it into his lap, hiding it away. His ears flatten atop his head and Harry pats his knee, trying to comfort him as he goes to stand, heading towards the door.

He opens it, finding Liam on the other side and steps aside to let him in. Liam walks in, opens his mouth to stop when he stops, eyes locked on the sofa and blinks for a moment. 

“Louis?” Liam asks, stunned as he stands there.

He glances over at Harry and Harry walks into the living area, calling Niall as he does. Harry watches Liam come in slowly, cautiously as if he moves too fast Louis would disappear before his eyes. Niall comes in as Liam stands by the far right of the sofa, blinking at Louis. 

“So, Louis is back… sorta.” Niall speaks, breaking the silence. 

Liam lifts his gaze from Louis and looks at Niall, “What do you mean by sort of?” 

Louis clears his throat and stands up slowly, Liam blinks his eyes, shaking his head before his eyes cast over Louis and he nods slowly. He walks over to Louis and pulls him into a hard embrace. Louis’ body slamming against Liam’s. Louis welcomes it quickly, wrapping his arms around Liam’s body and hugs him tightly. Harry glances away, letting the two friends have their moment of reconnection. 

He’d tried to put himself in Liam’s shoes. Wondering if this had been Niall in Louis’ place how he may feel and it felt sickening to think about. 

Liam and Louis both sat down on the sofa and Liam looked at Louis’ tail that was swaying in his lap. Louis noticed and grabbed his tail, pulling it towards him shyly.

“I’m sorry. It's just… weird but not in a you're a weirdo way. But, like whoa what a trip… I’ll shut up.” Liam pressed his lips together tightly. 

Louis shook his head, “It’s fine.” He smiled at Liam reassuringly.

Niall sat on the oversized sofa and Harry sat on the sofa by Liam. Niall sighed before opening his mouth.

“So, I called my great aunt. She said it sounds like one of two things happened. One, there is still something that has to be realised or done to fully break the spell. Or Lily goofed and we have to fix it. She said she had never heard of hybrids actively existing it was always a threat her elders used to get them to behave. She did not doubt that we couldn't even make our own spell to remove the feline parts.” 

_____

Louis hummed, for the most part he just sat there, having no involvement as the others discussed everything. He was tired, emotionally and physically. He felt drained and just really done at the moment so, he sat silently, pulled in on himself, his tail wrapped around his knees that he had pulled to his chest and his hands between his thighs and stomach. He tried to look as small as he could sitting by Liam. He felt small. Almost invisible at the moment.

After a couple of hours and him for the most part being withdrawn, Liam and Niall both left and Harry kneeled down in front of Louis and put a hand on Louis’ calf. Louis looked over at him, not saying anything. 

“Want to got to bed?” Harry asked quietly.

Louis nodded shyly, he’d wanted to go to bed all night. However he didn't think he had the right to just wander off to Harry’s room at anytime anymore. Harry stood up and held a hand out, Louis took it with slight hesitation before standing up. Louis followed Harry as he turned off the living area lights before he headed towards the bedroom. 

They walked into the bedroom and Louis stood by the door, shyly. Harry glanced over at him before going and taking his hand. He walked Louis towards the bed, sitting down and pulling Louis to sit with him.

“Please do not think you can’t continue to just be how you were. I am not going to suddenly have issues with you making yourself at home, Lou.” Harry spoke quietly, his hand still holding on to Louis. 

Louis nodded, but did not say anything instead a yawn escaped his lips. Harry’s lip twitched and he stood up. Louis turned around, crawling across the bed. He looked a the pillow before flipping it over and laying down. He slowly, hesitantly pulled the covers up over him. It almost felt unfamiliar to him to be laying in a bed like this. Beneath the blankets. But at the same time it felt so comfortable and warm. He sighed contently and glanced over at Harry who was sorting through some laundry. 

After a moment, Harry began to hum quietly to himself and Louis smiled at the familiarity of it. It was comforting and helped him to relax, letting the sleep slowly seep over him. 

The next morning they two of them were alone when Harry finally works up the courage to approach Louis. Louis is curled up in Harry's bed with his fluffy white tail tucked in between his legs. Harry approaches the bed and sits next to him, trying his best not to disturb him. It doesn't work, though, because as soon as the bed dips with Harry's weight, Louis is fluttering his eyes open. When he sees Harry he startles, his ears folding in half.

They stare at each other for a moment, until Harry finally decides to break the ice.

"Nice tail." Nice tail? Why couldn't Harry have thought of something better? Fuck.

Louis' cheeks pinken up at the compliment and...oh. "Thanks." His voice is gentle and soft, like he hasn't used it in so long, and well, he really hasn't. 

Harry smiles, a shyness behind it before he clears his throat, “I am happy we can actually speak now.” he mentally sighs because that is all he has to say?

He sees Louis nod in agreement, no words though come out. So harry clears his throat, and tries again. 

“I mean, to be honest, I do not know what I mean. I just… Now that I can talk to you, I come up blank. I can’t figure out what I want to say and yet I have so much to ask. So much I want to say. I want to get to know you. And now that this moment is here I just go blank.” He looks at his hands and hears a soft hum from Louis.

“I understand. I don’t know. I can speak now, actually talk to you and all I want to do is just lay here. I want you to lay here with me, next to me.” Louis says quietly.

Harry glances up and watches as Louis’ tail flicks nervously. He reaches out and puts a hand on it, running his fingers through the fur. 

“I can do that.” He responds and scoots towards Louis. Harry slides in beside him and hears a soft noise coming from Louis, he’s purring. He can still purr. Harry smiles into Louis’ shoulder at that. 

So they do that, they lay there for most of the day in a comfortable silence. Harry does most of the talking, asking questions here and there. He tries to learn more about Louis, tries to get into his mind. And for the most part Louis lets him. He isn’t closed off. He is rather open and honest, they get to know each other somewhat as Harry volunteers random tidbits about him. Eventually the conversation is steered towards the elephant in the room. 

Louis tries to avoid it, tries to move the conversation into another direction. Harry stays firm though, because they have to discuss it. 

“Why though? Why, Louis?” Harry questions, frustration evident in his tone. 

“I feel like this is it. This is as far as it will go and I am stuck. It seems anytime there is a chance it gets smashed down to nothing and the wall rebuilds. Maybe this is my stupid destiny. Maybe I am suppose to be this weird creature for the rest of my life. Karma came for me or some shit.” 

Harry sighs, “Louis, no. We can fix this. We will fix it. I promise you that. And in the meantime, it doesn’t matter if you have tails, ears, can purr. In fact I kind of like the purring. And you are beautiful, Louis.” Harry blushes at his words and feels Louis shift next to him.

Louis looks over at Harry, his bottom lip between his teeth as he slowly smiles, “I just want to be a human again. I want to have a shower. I want to stand under hot water and feel it across my skin. I want to go take a walk outside to the corner store. Go have a pint with Liam.” 

Harry gets up off the bed, holding his hand out for Louis, watching as Louis’ eyebrows push together in question before he takes Harry’s hand. He leads them to the bathroom and turns on the shower before opening the cabinet under the sink and getting a clean towel out.

“Have a shower, Louis. Have the longest shower ever. Your tail may get wet but, have a shower.” Harry says as he holds the towel out towards Louis.

He watches as Louis hesitates before taking it, nodding softly. 

“I’ll leave you to it. Take as long as you want. But know this, no matter what. We will fix this, I promise you Louis. I want to give you all those things.” With that Harry turns and leaves Louis to it. Heading back into his room. 

Almost thirty minutes later Louis returns, Harry is sat in bed reading some article on his phone when he comes in. Harry had left some clean joggers with a hole cut in them for Louis tail and a shirt on the foot of the bed. He doesn’t look up, trying to give Louis some privacy until he feels the bed dip beside him. He can smell his body wash on Louis and his stomach flutters. 

“Thank you.” Louis says quietly as he slips under the covers. 

Harry doesn’t respond, glancing over at Louis and watches as he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, relaxing into the bed.


	19. Chapter 19

Louis woke up the next morning to Harry laying there, his eyes fixated on him. He was laying with one hand behind his head and the other on his bare chest, the blankets pushed down to his waist. Louis could hear the soft blow of the heater kicking in and Louis slowly sat up, pushing up to lean over Harry. Harry exhaled slowly, moving his hand from beneath his head to settle it on Louis’ waist. Louis put a hand on either side of Harry’s head and hovered above him, his tail slowly moving between them and brushing over the bare skin of Harry’s stomach. 

Louis’ eyes fell to Harry’s lips and he licked his own slowly, subconsciously as he began to lean down. Harry moved to meet him, just as the bedroom door burst open and Louis moved back from Harry’s space quickly. 

Niall yells as he enters, unaware of what he just interrupted, “Lads! I may have news, not sure if good or bad. But I also have food so come on, come on!” 

He was gone just as quick as he came and Louis could hear Harry groan in frustration as he sat up. Louis felt Harry lean over and place a chaste kiss on Louis’ forehead before brushing his messy fringe from his face. Louis’ speckled ear twitched and Harry smiled before he got up, grabbing a jumper from the hamper on his way out. 

Louis watched him as he left the room before sitting up and running his hands over his face, the second time he had tried to kiss Harry, and the second time Niall had interrupted it from happening. He really hoped this would not become a pattern. 

Louis got out of bed and looked at Harry’s hamper, shivering in the cool morning air in a shirt. He grabbed a jumper and threw it on as he left the room and headed towards the sound of voices. He found Liam, Niall, and Harry all standing at the bar and smiled to himself before sitting on a bar stool. Liam slid over an egg sandwich and Louis took it happily. 

After everyone ate and Harry cleaned up in the kitchen, Liam was the one to bring it up. 

“So, you said you had news?” He asked, directing it at Niall.

Niall nodded, setting his water bottle down on the bar, “So, we can make a spell and fix this or, those two can figure out what they need to do. After reading all night, by all night I literally mean I slept three hours. It’s highly likely they need to do something. What? I am not sure.” He shrugged and Harry sighed. 

“Do you have any idea what this something maybe?” Harry questioned.

Niall shrugged, “No, no not at all. I did find out though that if you two are soulmates, it’s highly likely that Louis is a witch.”

“Well, that is wrong,” Louis mumbled and the other three looked at him.

“No one in my family is a witch.” He stated quietly. 

“No one practising at least. What if your Mum had been raised away from it for some reason?” Niall asked.

“I do not think so. My sisters all have some form of minor psychic capabilities and I have the mind thing. My stepfather does not practice but he is a witch. Mum is just Mum.” 

“What about your Birth father?” Liam was the one to speak this time and Louis shrugged.

“He hated witches. Thought they were all lazy and said he was glad he was not one.” 

“Well, it would be pretty weird for you to be a soulmate of a witch if you are not one. Have you ever messed with any of this? Like been curious about witch stuff?”

Louis shook his head, “No. Never cared to if I’m honest.” 

“Soulmate witches have marks though.” Harry interrupted, glancing at Louis before putting his attention on Niall. 

“And you two do,” Liam said, waving a hand between Louis and Harry.

Harry frowned, “How? And how would you know and us not notice it?” 

“Well, when you became a cat, you matched Louis. Except where Louis was white you had been black. Down to the specs. And now as humans….er well for the most part-”

Louis narrowed his eyes at Niall and Niall smiled at him, continuing on. 

“You both have three freckles, matching the specs that had been on you as cats. His specs on his ear match your three freckles. The specs that had been on you, which were in the white match the freckles on him.” Niall said and grabbed his water bottle. 

Louis got up and went into the bathroom, Harry following close behind him. Louis flipped the light switch on and stood at the sink with Harry close behind him. They inspected themselves and each other before Louis straightened up, looking at Harry in the reflection. 

“I liked your long hair.” He spoke softly. 

Harry caught his eyes in the mirror, “I just needed to do it. Had it for so long. I just felt it was something I had to do.” 

Louis nodded before turning around, chest to chest with Harry, “Do you think I could go home soon? Even for a night? I just want to be in my bed and my own space.” 

Harry smiled down at him and nodded, “Of course, Louis.”    
  
“Do you think I can tonight? Maybe?” Louis asked. 

“Yes. Do you want me to give you a ride? Or do you want to go with Liam?” 

This time Louis smiled, “Liam. Actually, I would love if he could take me. I missed him.” 

Harry stepped back to give Louis space, Louis smiled once more before he left the bathroom and headed down the hall to the living area. He found Liam and walked over to him, getting his attention straight away. He told him about wanting to sleep in his own place and asked if he’d be willing to take him home in a few. He asked if he wanted to hang out even, just spend time with each other, to which Liam jumped at. 

The four of them all hung out for a while longer, watching a movie and just relaxing. For once neither of them had anything going on in the back of their minds. For now, they were all relaxed and just enjoying the comfort of each other’s company. Eventually Louis stood up and left the room. Harry watched him closely before getting and following him. into the kitchen. Louis turned around when Harry came in. 

“I was thirsty and for a moment, I just got up and came to a kitchen. Realised it is yours and I should've asked.” Louis said.

“Louis, please. You help yourself, you lived here. If you are hungry, have something to eat, thirsty? Help yourself. I can even make you something if you need. Just ask me.” Harry said, putting his hands on Louis’ shoulders.

Louis bit his bottom lip, stepping forward a little and nodded slightly. He looked up at Harry, letting his eyes fall to his lips. He’d come so close so many times and he wanted to just touch his lips to Harry’s. To feel them against his own and know how they felt. He felt Harry move in closer, his head tilted slightly down and Louis straightened his posture, tilting his head slightly up. Their lips were so close, Louis could feel Harry’s breath ghost over his lips, over his face and his eyes fluttered closed. 

Louis took a deep breath and moved forward, almost touching his lips to Harry’s when a loud crash echoed from the living area and Harry groaned, stepping out of Louis’ space. Louis sighed and opened his eyes, looking at Harry.

Harry shrugged, “I’m sorry.” He turned and left the kitchen.

Louis could hear him speaking loudly, asking what had happened and Louis kicked the bottom cabinet with his bare foot in frustration. After a few moments, Louis left the kitchen and found Liam in the bathroom, washing his hands and a red stain from his shirt.

“I am ready to go.” Louis said and Liam nodded at him as he shut the water off. 

Louis headed out into the living area and stood by the front door. He noticed Harry looking at him when he spotted Liam walking into the living area. 

“Alright, Going to take Louis to his place for the night,” Liam spoke.

“Hey, what a great idea. If you need anything, Louis give me a ring, yeah? Liam can give you my number.” Niall said, smiling from the sofa towards Louis.

Louis offered a quick nod and opened the door, leaving quickly. Harry frowned as the door closed and looked at Liam. He offered a shrug.

“I'll bring him back tomorrow. Maybe he just needs some space.” Liam stated.

Harry nodded a bit, “It’s fine. I understand” 

___

Louis was standing outside barefoot in Harry’s joggers and a jumper. He pulled his tail into his joggers and let it wrap around his leg. When Liam came out he tugged at his jacket with a hood. 

“I need to cover my ears.” Louis mumbled.

Liam nodded at Louis and handed him the jacket. Louis pulled it on and waited for Liam to lead the way. They hurried towards his car, Louis rushing on the tips of his toes to keep his feet from getting cold. He got in the car and tucked his feet beneath them. 

The drive to his place was quiet as he watched the world passing by on the streets and he suddenly felt so tired. He yawned as they drove, noticing Liam looking at him a few times.

“What Li?” Louis asked.

“I don’t have to stay. I am fine not staying.” Liam spoke as he came to a stop. 

“I asked you to,” Louis responded, looking over at Liam.

“Lou, I have missed you. But there is plenty of time to hang out. Why don’t you just spend some time alone for now? You guys have so much to figure out, and you need to rest be alone sometimes.” 

Louis nodded, not responding because he knew Liam was right and deep down he just wanted to be alone. He didn’t want to spend time with anyone. He wanted to sit in a warm bath, surround himself in his stuff and just be alone. Breathe in his smell, his place, wrap himself up in his blankets and disappear for a few hours. And so he did. 

  
Liam walked Louis to the door, letting him into his place and waited a few moments before leaving. Louis locked his place up and grabbed a bottle of rum, taking a few shots of it before he headed towards his bathroom and started to run himself a bath. He was going to soak the night away until the water was cold and proceed to crawl into his bed and sleep. Sleep in his bed, in his room under his blankets. 

____

Harry was laying in his bed, staring up at the lights that trailed across his ceiling in the dark from the passing cars outside. Niall had stayed another couple of hours after Liam and Louis left. Once Niall left Harry took a shower, cleaned up and headed to bed where he had been laying for a few hours now. He’d look over at the clock and sigh, sleep failing to come. 

He looked over at the pillow, the empty space next to him that's had its place taken up by a cat for what felt like so long, now that Louis was not there Harry realised he was going to miss Louis. He knew he would see him again, he knew it was temporary and he even agreed it would be good for Louis to sleep at his own place and for him to be alone. Only now all Harry wanted was to look over beside him and look at Louis. After another hour of restlessness, Harry got up and grabbed some sneakers and put them on before throwing on an oversized jumper. 

He grabbed his cell and wallet off the bedside table and left his room, grabbing his keys on his way out of his home. He rang Liam on his way to his car, realising the hour was late. A groggy Liam answered and Harry asked for Louis’ address. He’d been there before but could not remember it exactly. 

“Why? Is everything alright?” Liam asked, groggily. 

“Yeah… I just need to see him.” Harry was quiet as he started his car. 

“Alright, yeah, I will text it to you.” 

Harry and Liam hung up and a few moments later, his phone buzzed with a notification. He entered his address into the GPS and headed there, fingers tight on the steering wheel as he drove. The closer he got, the more he stressed. His stomach was tight with nerves when he finally pulled up to the building and parked. He took his time going in, and heading to Louis’ floor. He took a deep breath as he stood outside the red door before he let his knuckles fall against it. 

He shifted his weight from foot to foot as he knocked once more, louder this time. His stomach twisted and he bit his bottom lip as he heard the locks click on the door and the knob slowly turn. He inhaled a heavy breath as it opened, revealing a sleepy Louis on the other side.

Louis’ eyebrows scrunched up and he frowned, “Harry?” His voice was raspy with sleep and he looked confused.

Harry wanted to pet him, he let the breath he’d been holding out and put his palm flat against Louis’ chest, gently pushing him back into his flat. He closed the door behind him as he entered the flat, letting his hand drop from Louis’ chest. 

“I had to see you, Lou,” Harry spoke quietly. 

Louis’ face relaxed and he tilted his head to the side. 

Harry sighed softly and stepped forward into Louis’ space. He put two hands on either side of Louis’ face and brought his face in, brushing his lips over Louis. He heard a soft sigh from Louis and he pressed forward, his lips against Louis and he closed his eyes. Their lips connecting in a soft, barely-there kiss. He felt Louis press harder and felt his hands gripping his jumper. The kiss deepened, slowly with double hesitation from the both of them.

Harry had wanted to feel what it was like to kiss Louis for so long, he thought if he waited any longer he might miss the chance. And he knew that Louis tried and that something, someone always interrupted them. He would seriously think about cursing someone if they interrupted the kiss now. 

Louis was pulling Harry farther back into the flat, towards his bedroom with their lips still heavily locked in a kiss that had gone from barely there to tongues dancing together and hands beneath shirts. Louis walked them into his room, towards his bed as they fell onto his bed Harry on top of him. Harry pulled back, looking down at Louis as he slid off him and settled in beside him. 

He ran a finger up and down the light growth facial hair along Louis’ jaw and felt it scratching at his fingers. He smiled down at Louis before leaning down and kissing him once more. This time more fully and with less hesitation. When he pulled away he saw Louis smile, not fully but enough that he would accept it. Harry laid his head down on Louis’ chest and heard the rhythmic  _ thump, thump _ of his heart. 

It was slow and steady, relaxing and calming. Harry slowly closed his eyes, feeling Louis’ fingers running through the short locks of his hair, hearing Louis breathe in and out slowly. 

They both fell asleep not too long after that, almost wrapped up in each other with slow breathing and steady heartbeats. 


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End!
> 
> I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to update.   
> Life would happen and chill. Followed by it happening again.   
> I appreciate all the kudos and reads and it means the world to me!

The next morning Harry woke up to the smell of eggs and bacon and groaned at it. It was an amazing thing to wake up to. He slowly got out of bed and walked down the hall, finding Louis in the kitchen. 

“Mm. Mornin. It smells amazing in here.” Harry spoke as he approached Louis. 

Louis turned his head, spotting Harry and smiled at him, “I didn’t have any food so I had to go bug the neighbour lady.”

“Did she say anything about you being gone?” Harry questioned as he took a plate from Louis. 

“No. And there is another thing.” Louis said as he handed a fork to Harry.

Harry took it from Louis and waited for him to continue.

Louis turned around and pushed the joggers he had on down some, barely showing anything but Harry knew what he was doing. His tail was gone. Harry dropped the fork and went over to Louis, pushing the beanie off his head. No ears, just soft semi-damp brown hair. Harry’s eyes widened.

“When?” He asked and Louis shrugged.

“No idea. I went to have a shower and noticed I had no ears. I felt behind me and no tail. Nothing. I am a human again.” 

Harry reached for his face, kissing Louis deeply, their lips pressed together in a hard force. Louis grabbed for Harry’s waist, twisting his hands in the jumper he had on. 

Harry broke the kiss leaning his forehead against Louis’, “If this is over, you need to go home.”    
  
“I am home.” Louis spoke softly, pushing a hand beneath Harry’s jumper to feel the warmth of his skin. 

“No, Lou. Home. Your family. Go see your family.” 

“I want to be with you, Harry. Last night before you came over was horrible. I didn’t like it.” Louis responded.    
  
Harry got it, he really did but he also knew that Louis needed to see his family, he knew he had to go home and that it had to be without Harry. And Harry was okay with that. He really was. 

Harry told Louis in every way that he knew how to. Letting him know that when Louis was ready, he could come back to him and Harry would still be there, always. He told Louis in every way he knew how to. In deep kisses and in soft kisses. He whispered it to him as they wrapped their arms around each other and disappeared beneath the covers on Louis’ bed all day. 

He reminded him the next morning when they got to Harry’s and were waiting for Niall to arrive. He reminded him once more as Niall laughed, and laughed at seeing Louis with no tail. Because he’d said it would have been something he was interrupting all along. To which lead to him getting two very confused looks from Louis and Harry. And Niall ended up admitting in the end that he knew they needed to kiss to fix it. When asked how he knew, he had said he just had a hunch. That it would be something so simple and easy. Something none of them would've likely thought of.  

Harry had smiled at Louis, leaning in close to his ear to whisper, “Kind of like a fairytale, Lou.”

___

A few days later, and with maybe a few too many - but, ‘You can never be too careful, Lou’ Harry had said- spells on Louis and he was standing on his family’s front porch. His sister opened the front door and screamed, an ear-piercing sound and threw her arms around his neck. 

It was one after another once that happened, and before Louis knew it he was in a dog pile of family. A pile of love and warmth and he just melted into it all. Absorbing every little bit he could and soaking it all in. He had to tell them what happened in the end and he did, the long story given short as he had tea at his Mum’s table. As he smelled the burning candles and listened to the noise around him. 

All familiar, all comfortable. All _home_. 

He stayed a week and a half before he could not handle it anymore before he had the overwhelming feeling to go see Harry and the tiny need for quiet and privacy. He also made himself promise to never stay away for too long again. He’d not been home in a few months prior to the events that took place and he feels he is walking away from it with so many lessons learned. 

Louis left with food and love to last him for a lifetime. But he also left feeling complete. He took the long drive home and immediately went to Harry’s place and walked right in as if it was home because it felt like home. It felt right. 

He found Harry reading in his altar room and walked in, wrapping his arms around him from behind and buried his face in his shoulder. The familiar and comforting smell of Harry overwhelmed him and he sighed. 

“I never want to leave you again.” He said against Harry’s shirt covered shoulder.

Harry chuckled softly, “So don’t.” 

“I won’t. Ever. You're stuck with me now.” Louis responded. 

“So, I did some research and may have talked to someone in your family,” Harry said and Louis stepped back with an eyebrow raised.

“And?” He asked.

“And, you are a witch. Your Mum, did not practice it. She had not been raised as one, neither had her Mum. So that was why you had not been either.”

“So what does that mean? Louis questioned.

“Well if you believe the lore it means that you and I have lived a hundred lives together, and we will live a hundred more. We are going to grow old together over, and over again.” Harry said, leaning in and kissing Louis.

Louis kissed back, smiling against his lips. They ended up together in Harry’s room, wrapped up in each other and Louis had decided that no matter where he was as long as he had Harry, he was home. No matter what he went through he had home with him if Harry was there. And he wanted to know what it felt like to have Harry in his family home. He imagined it would be amazing. 

___

Niall helped himself into Harry’s like he always did a few hours later, calling for Harry as he did. Harry yelled back that he’d be a moment before he and Louis came into the living area. Niall smiled, beaming from ear to ear at them and cooed. He also held out a small white kitten, fluffy with black curtain markings on its face.

Harry smiled, taking it from Niall, “Where did you get this little baby?” 

“I turned Lily.” Niall responded.

Harry’s eyes widened and he dropped the kitten on the floor. Louis choked on his water and hurried over to the tiny feline and picked it up. They both stared wide-eyed at Niall who just smiled back.

“Kidding, you two. Bloody hell, I would never do that. Not that I did not think about it. No, I saw her at some adoption event downtown and thought she would be perfect. She is all feline, no human.” Niall smiled at them.

Harry snatched the tiny cat from Louis and buried his face in her soft, thick fur and beamed against her, “I love her thank you.”

Louis nodded in agreement, “Thank you, Niall.” 

Niall had a crooked smile on his face and he nodded. 

____

It felt too easy in the end. Just something as simple as discovering true love and a kiss to end a spell. Yet a few months later Harry had found a very specific spell in his post box. It told him how the spell was done, how the spell can be removed. And it really was the simplest thing. He tucked the spell in the back of one of his books he had, hiding it away. 

He did not hear from Lily anymore and had not seen her either. Niall had told him one day that she had moved out of town to go live with a family member and Harry hoped she was happy. He really did. Because he felt no one should ever be unhappy in life. He did not carry any hatred for what she had done because in the end, things worked out and he was happy. He was happy and in love, so deeply in love. He would never trade it for anything. 

He had a feeling that Louis was mutually as happy as he watched him sit down at the dinner table at Harry’s Mum’s,  where both Louis and Harry’s families were meeting for dinner as one large family. He smiled at Louis across the table and felt Louis’ foot nudge his beneath the table. 

 

He would easily do it all over again if he had to as long as the results ended up the same. And Harry will never admit to anyone but at one point after discovering it was Louis Tomlinson who was the cat. If he had to, he wouldn't have hesitated permanently joining Louis as a feline. He would have done anything to ensure he spent the rest of his life with him.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank You so much for reading!!
> 
> A link to the Tumblr [post](http://imnikogda.tumblr.com/post/166848846554/louis-stood-still-motionless-as-he-felt-her-cold).


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